Baboró

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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About the Panellists
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.

In this discussion a roundtable of makers, educators and thinkers explored models of practice to aid artists in the creation of work for very young audiences, in early years education and crèche settings. Panellists mapped and articulated models of best practice arising from International and national projects such as 'Mapping', 'Small Size' and 'Graffiti BEAG'. Using the work created during these projects as case studies, panellists shared their experiences and explored the challenges and opportunities in bringing work to these settings.

The panel featured Gaëtane Reginster (Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Belgium), Marc Mac Lochlainn (Branar, Ireland) and Dr. Rita Melia (Atlantic Technological University, Ireland). Chaired by Marianne Kennedy (University of Galway, Ireland). 

Opening Doors was presented as part of the Creative Europe MAPPING Project. 

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

Learn more about MAPPING here.