(This episode is best experienced while viewing the slides from this event. Visit baboro.ie to view these slides or click this link https://www.baboro.ie/news-events/2024-festival-podcasts)

Award-winning visual artist Jane Hayes discusses the challenges and opportunities of creating and presenting work for early years audiences. There are few exhibitions for this age group as the area of early years visual arts practice is developing in Ireland. Equally emergent is the inclusion of young children’s voices in the process.

Jane shares her innovative approaches to creating ambitious and playful visual art with and for early years children. Although Jane is a visual artist, she highlights how theatre for young audiences influences and drives her practice. Having recently toured her work, 'Sweet Home Sweet' (2023) nationally, Jane shares her experiences of touring and presenting visual art to a range of early years audiences in various contexts.

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Jane Hayes is a visual artist making work with and for early years audiences. Working from Sample Studios, Cork, Jane uses digital imagery and installation to push the boundaries of non-participatory visual art for the very young. Inclusion of the child’s voice is central to her practice, and her approaches are greatly influenced by TYA. Jane holds a BA Honours in Painting from Edinburgh College of Art. and has received awards, including the Arts Council YPCE Artist Bursary (2023) and the Cork City Council Artist Bursary (2024). Her recent work, 'Sweet Home Sweet' (2023), commissioned by Sample Studios, toured nationally. She has been an Associate Artist with Baboró since 2023.

Across 2022 and 2023 Branar piloted Meitheal, a support initiative for artists and producers creating work for young audiences across performing arts disciplines.

Independent arts consultant, Janice McAdam, was engaged to evaluate the initiative from the beginning. This report distills the key findings of her evaluation, detailing the impact of the intervention of Meitheal in the performing arts for young audience sector across Ireland. 

In this panel event, Janice presents the report and speaks with Meitheal alumni, theatre maker Miquel Barceló and producer Claire O’Neill about their experience of the initiative, with contributions from the Branar team.

Learn more about Meaitheal here. 

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Janice McAdams has been helping individuals and organisations think strategically and engage meaningfully for over twenty years. Since qualifying as a coach in 2011, Janice also supports them to consider and manage change. Janice completed a Masters in Work and Organisational Behaviour at DCU in 2017, with a particular emphasis on change, and does research and stakeholder facilitation work and really enjoys using a simple but hugely effective method called World Café. Since starting her own business, Janice is proud to have worked with a range of clients across the public, private, not for profit and cultural sectors including most recently The Arts Council, Dublin Fringe Festival, Cork City Council, The Stinging Fly, Irish Writers Centre and The Ark. She also coaches individuals, supporting them to consider and advance their careers.

Miquel Barceló is a theatre practitioner and musician with extensive experience in physical theatre, theatre for young audiences, street theatre, arts and disability and community arts. Trained at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris, he works as a freelance artist and collaborates on an ongoing basis with Branar, Macnas and arts organisations for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) That’s Life. Miquel’s main focus is performing, composing music for theatre shows and researching new pedagogical approaches to theatre. He has worked extensively with youth ensembles and in the area of theatre for children in schools. Current work in development includes an immersive theatre experience exploring the legend of Captain George MacNamara.

Claire has worked in a wide variety of managerial and production roles in the arts sector in the last 15 years. She spent five years as General Manager & Producer with THISISPOPBABY, working across a variety of dynamic projects & productions including producing Mark O'Halloran's award winning play Conversations After Sex (Dublin Theatre Festival 2021). Prior to this she was General Manager and Producer at Project Arts Centre from 2013 to 2017 where she produced Dublin Oldschool. She was Executive Producer on the first iteration of the Bram Stoker Festival as well as working closely with a variety of Project Artists including Brokentalkers, Junk Ensemble and Louise White. Claire was five years with Irish Theatre Institute from 2009 as General Manager and worked on a range of events including Information Toolbox, International Theatre Exchange as well as the Six in the Attic and Show in a Bag programmes.

Baboró was delighted to present the work of two companies from the Flanders area of Belgium during the 2024 festival: Grown Ups by Compagnie Barbarie/BRONKS and The Pale Baron by Kopergietery. Performances for children made in Flanders are world renowned for their ambition, sophistication and innovation. They don’t shy away from difficult topics, they don’t patronise. 

What makes Flemish work so unique? What can we in Ireland learn from this innovative approach? Hear about the rich theatre for young audiences scene in this area of Belgium from some of the leading makers. 

With the generous support of Galway Culture Company and The Delegation of Flanders (Embassy of Belgium) to the UK and Ireland.

With the generous support of Galway Culture Company, Creative Europe Desk Ireland and The Delegation of Flanders (Embassy of Belgium) to the UK and Ireland.

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Amber is a founding member of Compagnie Barbarie, a Belgian theatre company known for its innovative and thought-provoking theatre productions. The company was founded in 2003 by a group of young theatre-makers who set out together in search of an idiosyncratic and uncompromising theatre language. Compagnie Barbarie creates performances that often combine humour and social issues. They are not afraid to tackle topics that are sometimes considered uncomfortable or controversial, and they often do so in a visually strong and sometimes absurd way. Their work targets both young audiences and adults, and their performances are characterised by a mixture of physical expression, text and image. Furthermore, Amber has been active as a drama teacher for more than 15 years. She taught at the DKO for several years, and is associated with Studio BRONKS, the educational wing of BRONKS. She gives workshops and creates performances with young people. Since 2020, Amber has been working at RITSC as a guest lecturer in the educational arts programme.

Geert began his career as a theatre-maker, working in both acting and directing. Over time, the organizational side of the arts became more prominent in his path and he managed both aspects for several years across various companies. This combination of skills eventually brought him to BRONKS, where as a member of the artistic team working closely with the artistic director Veerle Kerckhoven, he focuses on policy and vision development. Alongside this, he provides dramaturgical advice in BRONKS productions, coordinates artistic projects and workshops, and facilitates youth engagement in the arts.

Aoife is the Head of the Culture Office, Creative Europe Desk Ireland. Aoife has over 16 years’ experience as a Visual Arts Curator and Public Arts programmer & manager with in-depth knowledge of the Irish arts and culture sector. The Creative Europe Ireland Desk team work to make the Creative Europe programme more accessible to the Irish creative and cultural sectors. Through the Culture and MEDIA Offices they give advice, support and information on Creative Europe funding calls to the Irish audiovisual and cultural sectors.

Zita is the Head of International Relations at hetpaleis.

Aislinn is the Executive Artistic Director of Baboró. In this broad role she oversees all aspects of the organisation as well as curating the annual international festival in October - a multi-disciplinary festival of Irish and international theatre, dance, music and visual art in theatres, schools and galleries across Galway City and county. Baboró's year round arts in education and artist support programmes have expanded significantly under her stewardship. Aislinn is on the Committee of Theatre for Young Audiences Ireland (TYAI), a voluntary organisation which supports artists and advocates for the performance arts for children sector in Ireland.

Marilyn is an experienced cultural manager with over 20 years leadership experience in cultural and European programmes. She is currently the CEO of the Galway Culture Company and serves as a member of the panel of experts on European Capitals of Culture at the European Commission as well as a member of the European Urban Initiative pool of experts. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to ensuring the onward development of the cultural sector and developing projects and programmes that intertwine with sectors like research, tourism, education, science, business, technology, environmental sustainability, and both rural and urban development, as well as climate and health initiatives.

A truly inclusive development process takes time - one of our most precious commodities. While we are seeing positive steps towards the development of more inclusive arts practice, there are still many challenges and obstacles in the way of truly inclusive development, presentation and touring practices. 

This panel of creatives discuss this practice, sharing the continuing challenges as well as learnings and small wins along the way.

Chaired by Dr Charlotte McIvor, University of Galway.

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Eleanor Walsh (she/her) is a performer and an autism and disability advocate. She graduated from DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with a BA in Drama (Performance). Recent credits include Yellow (Jody O’Neill), Daughter of God (Asylum Productions), What I (Don't) Know About Autism (Abbey Theatre), Home: Part One (Abbey Theatre) and Dear Ireland: Part One, These Four Walls by Sinéad Burke (Abbey Theatre). She also consults on Relaxed Performance and autistic representation and inclusion. Eleanor is a Youth Ambassador for AsIAm and is featured in Be Inspired! Young Irish People Changing the World by Sarah Webb, published by O'Brien Press.

Gráinne Pollak is Project Manager for Safe to Create, a Dignity at Work programme looking to transform workplace culture and practices, and to provide safe and respectful working conditions for those working in the Irish arts and creative sectors. A multilingual arts producer and project manager from Dublin, she holds an MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from Goldsmiths, University of London and has produced new work and international tours for organisations, companies and festivals across Ireland and the UK, including ANU, Landmark Productions, MoLI, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Rambert, the Gate Theatre, LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) and Dublin Fringe Festival. She has worked in arts administration roles in venues across Dublin including Science Gallery International, Dublin Theatre Festival, the Abbey Theatre, the Ark and the National Concert Hall.

Jody O'Neill is an autistic writer, performer and disability advocate. She was Theatre Artist-in-Residence at UCC and Cork Opera House from 2022-24. She is actively engaged in artist development, offering dramaturgical input, mentorship and practical support in developing work to other artists. Jody advises various organisations on accessibility and relaxed performance. She recently founded The Working Group, an online work and peer support space for neurodivergent artists. In 2024, Jody was a key partner in the inaugural Neuroconvergence event. In 2023, Jody co-produced Neurofestivity, a festival of neurodivergent art as part of her residency at UCC and Cork Opera House.

Kieran Coppinger has been working on stage and screen for over 15 years. He was the lead in Sanctuary an award winning play and film that travelled the world. He credits include Lysander from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Deagan from Into The Badlands on TV. and He is currently in rehearsal with a new children’s play and will be leading inclusive theatre workshops in schools across Galway City and County

Niall Cleary is the Artistic Director and CEO of Graffiti Theatre in Cork. For Graffiti he has recently directed: Grace by Jody O’Neill, Humans: A Robot Musical by John McCarthy, The Sleep that Ceased to Settle and This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing by Finegan Kruckemeyer. Niall has directed numerous productions for Youth Theatres including The National Youth Theatre 2023 (YTI/The Abbey). He has presented work at festivals including; Cork Midsummer, GIAF, Baboró, Origins NYC and Connections (National Theatre, London). He is Chair of TYAI and former chair of YTI. He is a founding board member of the Cork Theatre Collective.

Petal Pilley has a lifetime of experience in theatre having grown up in a travelling theatre company touring extensively throughout Europe. In her role as Blue Teapot’s Artistic Director, she has extensive experience of commissioning new plays, theatre direction, selecting creative projects and people. Petal has clear vision, determination and flexibility in achieving goals and enjoys working in a collaborative team environment.

Dr Charlotte McIvor is a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Drama and Theatre Studies at the University of Galway and a co-founder of Active* Consent, Ireland’s most recognized providers of consent education in secondary, third-level, further education, and professional training contexts nationally and internationally. Recent publications include Contemporary Irish Theatre: Histories and Theories (with Ian R. Walsh, 2024) as well as The Methuen Drama Handbook of Interculturalism and Performance (co-edited with Daphne P. Lei, 2020) and Interculturalism and Performance Now: New Directions? (co-edited with Jason King, 2018). Her wider research is focused on inclusive arts practices and theatre/performance for social change in Irish and international contexts.

Patricia Forde, Laureate na nÓg 2023 - 2026, delivered her inaugural laureate lecture at Baboró 2024, inspired by the theme she has chosen for her laureate, “Making It Up As We Go Along”. Patricia discussed the importance of reading in a child’s creative development and the importance of immersive play in fostering the skills required to read and write creatively. 

Patricia writes in English and in Irish. She has had more than twenty books published to date. Her ambition as Laureate na nÓg is to encourage wild creativity – bringing children, writers and illustrators together to inspire one another to imagine new worlds. Baboró was thrilled to celebrate Patricia as Ireland's seventh Laureate na nÓg. Patricia has been at the forefront of the development of the arts in Galway and a co-founder, with Jean Parkinson, of Baboró in 1996.

Recorded on Friday, 18 October 2024 during Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, Galway. 

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Patricia writes in English and in Irish, with work ranging from picture books to speculative middle-grade fiction. She has written more than twenty books, along with plays, television series and, most recently, a film. Her ambition as Laureate na nÓg is to encourage wild creativity – bringing children, writers and illustrators together to inspire one another to imagine new worlds, and most of all to have fun along the way. Patricia Forde was announced as Ireland’s seventh Laureate na nÓg in May 2023, and will be in the role until 2026.

Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council. It is managed and delivered on Council’s behalf by Children’s Books Ireland, and also supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

What needs to shift in order to better support a thriving inclusive arts landscape in Ireland? This panel of creatives share their current arts practices and learnings from developing work with and for people of diverse abilities.

This recording includes practitioners who are breaking down barriers and exploring what it means to make performance work in an inclusive way, some of whom are, by their own admission, learning as they go. The discussion explores what it takes to create inclusive work for and with all artists and audiences, including those with intellectual and physical disabilities and what is needed to better support this work. Expect a generous sharing of expertise and experience from some of the most pioneering makers of work for adults and children in Ireland.

Chaired by Linda Geraghty. Presented in partnership with Branar’s Meitheal Initiative.

Recorded on October 18, 2023 during Baboró’s annual festival.

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Brian McSweeney is a dance artist with Down syndrome based in Waterford, Ireland. He has been dancing for over 17 years, initially with WYDmoves and then as a founding member of Traces Dance Ensemble Waterford under the direction of Libby Seward, Jess Rowell & latterly Dee Grant. He has featured in the 12th World Down Syndrome Congress in South Africa, performed for the President of Ireland and danced at festivals in Waterford, Dublin, Wexford and Birr. Most recently Brian has worked with Jess Rowell during her three year dance residency at Draíocht, Blanchardstown (2020-2022) as a co-facilitator and performer on numerous projects presented on stage, film and live on RTÉ News.

Jess Rowell is an inclusive dance artist, facilitator and maker of multisensory dance theatre for young people with additional needs based in Ireland. Inclusivity is at the heart of her practice and she is committed to making dance accessible. She has performed, collaborated and directed work in both professional and community contexts for over thirteen years. Jess completed a three year dance residency (2020-2022) in Draíocht, Blanchardstown supported by Arts Council Ireland, during which time her work was documented and presented on film, stage and live on RTÉ national news. She was awarded a YPCE Bursary and Touring Award from the Arts Council in 2022 and recently received a Cruinniú na nÓg 2023 commission from Creative Ireland. Jess is very proud to be supported by Meitheal: A Branar Initiative 2022-2023.

Jody O'Neill is an autistic theatre maker and screenwriter, based in Dublin. She has spent the past five years researching and developing ways of making inclusive theatre that promote acceptance and social change. Her play What I (Don’t) Know About Autism received the WGI Zebbie Award for Best Theatre Script in 2021. She is Theatre Artist-in-Residence at University College Cork and Cork Opera House and received a 2022 Markievicz Award from the Arts Council. She is currently under commission by Graffiti Theatre and The Gate Theatre, and is co-lead artist for Home Sweet Home (CMF & Suisha Arts/Cope Foundation).

Michael Hayes is an accomplished actor with a career spanning award winning productions of stage and screen such as Sanctuary by Christian O’Reilly and most recently Into the Dark Woods by Charlene Kelly. Michael is an integral member of Blue Teapots acting ensemble, He is an actor with great sensitivity and a subtle sense of humour, he has a unique dreamy quality. Michael’s other creative interests include drawing, animation and puppetry.

Niall Cleary is the Artistic Director and CEO of Graffiti Theatre in Cork. Graffiti directing credits include: ‘Humans: A Robot Musical’ by John McCarthy, ‘The Sleep that Ceased to Settle’, ‘This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing’ by Finegan Kruckemeyer and ‘Trasna’; a bilingual show devised by the company. Niall has directed numerous productions for youth theatres including The National Youth Theatre 2023 for the Peacock stage at the Abbey Theatre and has presented work at festivals including; Cork Midsummer Festival, Galway Arts Festival, Baboró and Connections at the National Theatre, London. He is the current chair of TYAI and former chair of Youth Theatre Ireland.

Petal Pilley is Blue Teapot's Artistic Director and it’s therefore no surprise she has a deep commitment to inclusive theatre practice. She has extensive experience in creating theatre with ID actors and inclusive casts, commissioning new plays such as Christian O’Reilly’s Sanctuary and Charlene Kelly’s Into the Dark Woods, theatre direction, and bringing to fruition creative projects and people.

Linda Geraghty (Panel Chair) has over 15 years experience working within professional creative settings and holds the role of Creative Producer to lead an exciting and dynamic artist/producer support initiative, Meitheal. Devised by Branar, Meitheal works to advance the development of high-quality work for children and young people across the performing arts disciplines in Ireland. Formerly Venue Director at Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Linda spent 12 years working to develop a core programme strand for young people, and position Riverbank as a key venue within the YPCE sector. Linda has also worked in the audio world as a radio producer, creating documentaries on a diverse range of subjects from music, wreck diving and science for young audiences. She is passionate about children and their right to access excellent arts experiences.

Artists and educators share their experiences of working on the pilot Arts in Early Learning and care (ELC) and School-age Childcare Scheme (SAC). The pilot scheme, developed and funded by The Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), is supporting professional artists and arts organisations to work with ELC and SAC settings, and to explore the Draft Principles for Engaging with the Arts in Early Learning and Care, published by the DCEDIY. 

Artists Maree Hensey and Naomi Draper, working with Kids' Own Publishing Partnership, early years educators Melisa Skrzyszewska and Joanna Wyvar, from Inspiring Mind Preschool and Kids’ Own’s creative director, Ciara Gallagher, share their projects and their experiences of the pilot scheme. Amanda Pintore, Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Fulbright US Specialist, concludes the discussion, reflecting on her experiences of working with early years educators, students and young children at Arizona State University, USA. Other contributors include Seona Ni Bhrian, Head of YPCE at the Arts Council, Kate Delaney, Creative Ireland Programme and Jane Heffernan Department of Tourism, Culture, Art, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. 

This discussion was facilitated by Dr. Rita Melia, Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at ATU and Coordinator of the pilot scheme.

This event was funded by the Creative Ireland Programme which is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Recorded on October 18, 2023 during Baboró’s annual festival.

As humanity seeks to write a new story about our place within nature, what are the roles and responsibilities of artists working across cultures and borders?

How do we use our work to repair (re-pair) connection to place and landscape? How do we collaborate in ways that honour local voices alongside international perspectives? Can art help us forge togetherness allowing us to move beyond separation; from each other, from nature? And if we must travel to be together, how do we reduce and reconcile our climate impact?

Listen to artists from across Ireland and Australia discuss how we morally and practically collaborate within our modern world.

This event was supported by the Australian Embassy.

Recorded on October 17, 2023 during Baboró’s annual festival.

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Amy Conroy is an award winning actor, playwright, and theatre maker. Her writing credits for stage include I Alice I, Eternal Rising of the Sun, Break, Luck Just Kissed You Hello, Far Away From Me, and The Boy Who Talked to Dogs. Amy has performed in countless production over the years, including The Taming of the Shrew at the Globe Theatre, London, directed by Caroline Byrne, Citysong, directed by Caitriona McLaughlin (Abbey Theatre and Soho Theatre, London), Holding – ITV, and Every Brilliant Thing, directed by Andrea Ainsworth (Peacock/ National Tour).

Andy Packer is an award-winning director of theatre, music theatre and opera. He has also worked as creative producer of multidisciplinary arts programs, creative director of large-scale events and festival director. In 2007 Andy co-founded Adelaide based theatre company Slingsby. The company is now well-established as a leading international immersive theatre company, having toured to more than 170 venues, with over 1,000 performances to more than 145,000 audience members, across 13 countries and counting. 

Andy is renowned for creating original live performance moments that are emotionally powerful and visually bold. His work across theatre for young audiences, opera, cabaret, music theatre and symphonic concerts has pushed him to develop a distinctive theatrical aesthetic that is at once personal and epic.

Jessica Wilson is leading practitioner of participative art with children and their adults based in Melbourne, Australia. She draws on local people and places to create experiences that change the way we see the ordinary world around us, regularly commissioned by arts centres around the world to create concepts that are adapted to new locations, and made in collaboration with local artists.

Maisie Lee is a director interested in work with a strong storytelling element. Her work spans theatre for adults and young audiences, radio drama and documentary. 

Recent work includes Her Sive, Abbey Theatre; Lúminaria, National Tour; Don’t Forget to Wash Your Hands (Audio - Winner of Gold IMRO 2021), Commissioned by Baboró; EMBARGO, Fishamble and In Our Veins, Abbey Theatre. 

Maisie is currently Baboró’s Artist in Residence and helped to set up and now facilitates their inaugural Children’s Panel.

[Note: Maisie was going to discuss her work with Jessica Wilson on The Shape of Quiet Feelings but she was unfortunately unable to take part due to illness.]

Tony Reekie (Panel Chair) hails from Scotland and has worked in the performing arts sector for children and young people for a long time. He is based in East Lothian and if you stand still long enough he'll show you pictures of the beaches he walks every morning. He's worked with some wonderful organisations and even more wonderful people including Imaginate, Lyra, Spark Arts for Children, Take Off Festival, The Arts Space for Kids in Shanghai and has helped curate a number of festivals around the world. He currently works with Catherine Wheels in Scotland.

The participants and stakeholders of Baboró’s LEAP artist support programme discussed the pilot project's development and execution. 

The panel featured Rachel Baltz (Baboró, Ireland), Alexandra Craciun (LEAP Participant, Ireland and Romania), Fernanda Ferrari (LEAP Participant, Brazil and Ireland), Justyna Cwojdzińska (LEAP Participant, Poland and Ireland), Ionia Ní Chróinín (Moonfish, Ireland) Jo Cummins (Moonfish, Ireland) and Maeve Stone (Cracking Light Productions, Ireland). Chaired by Dr. Charlotte McIvor (Drama and Theatre Studies, University of Galway, Ireland).

This recorded discussion asks:

LEAP is a partnership between Baboró, Moonfish Theatre, and University of Galway. LEAP aims to bridge the gap between the diversity of Ireland's young audiences and that of the artists programmed to create and present work for them. 

Funded by the Arts Council with further support from the Irish Research Council.

Recorded on October 17, 2022 during Baboró’s annual festival.

Learn more about LEAP here.

In partnership with Branar’s Meitheal Initiative, this panel discussion explored models of practice which support the sustainable development of career paths for independent artists making work for young audiences. 

The panel featured Tony Reekie (Catherine Wheels, Scotland), Kate Cross (The Egg, England), Dan Colley and Matt Smyth (Creators of 'The Man with Enormous Wings' and formerly Collapsing Horse, Ireland), Emer McGowan (Draíocht, Ireland). Chaired by Linda Geraghty (Branar/Meitheal, Ireland).

Meitheal is a pilot creative supports initiative committed to the development and presentation of performing arts for young audiences across Ireland. Devised by Branar, funded by the Arts Council.

Recorded on October 18, 2022 during Baboró’s annual festival.

Learn more about Meitheal here.