Event coordination

Two years of talking

Event coordination, Other work

My website has been quite neglected of late. But I have a good excuse in the form of #WakingTheFeminists.

Other than all the practical logistics of being involved in the core team that coordinated the whole campaign (that small thing), I also dove head-first into the world of public speaking – not something I took to easily, but managed to get through it thanks to a lot of peer support and endless preparation. I hadn’t spoken much in public before, at all. All I can say is that it gets easier (and even enjoyable) over time – and I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity for a lot of practice over the past two years.

Here’s (more or less) all the things I’ve spoken at to date in relation to #WakingTheFeminists – from small groups of students in seminar rooms, to 1500+ people in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. There are probably a few I’ve missed, but you get the idea.

And that doesn’t count radio, TV or print media interviews. But that’s a whole other story…

Photo by Kate Horgan

  • #WakingTheFeminists public meeting, Abbey Theatre 2015
  • Theatre Upstairs post show discussion 2015
  • Trinity Drama & Theatre studies Contemporary Irish Theatre in Context seminars 2015 & 16
  • NUI Galway seminars 2015 & 16
  • Theatre of Change Symposium presentation, Abbey Theatre 2016
  • UCD Arts Administration seminar 2016
  • Lir Academy seminar 2016
  • Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards acceptance speech, National Concert Hall 2016
  • IETM plenary meetings, Amsterdam, Valencia, Bucharest 2015-17
  • #WakingTheFeminists Spring Forward public event, Liberty Hall 2016
  • TCD Law Society panel discussion 2016
  • F Festival panel discussion, Back Loft 2016
  • Luoghi Comuni Festival panel discussion, Milan 2016
  • Dublin Junior Chamber International awards 2016
  • Offset panel discussion, Bord Gais Energy Theatre 2016
  • Drogheda Arts Festival ‘Dissenters’ event 2016
  • Gaiety School of Acting seminar 2016
  • Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival presentation 2016
  • All Ireland Performing Arts Conference panel discussion, Town Hall Theatre Galway 2016
  • Body and Soul Festival, panel discussion 2016
  • Visual Arts Workers Forum presentation, Gluksman Gallery, 2016
  • Cork Midsummer Festival presentation, Triskel 2016
  • Inspirefest presentation, Bord Gais Energy Theatre 2016
  • UC Berkeley seminar Dublin 2016
  • Culture Night panel discussion for RTE Arena, Dublin Castle 2016
  • University of Limerick seminar 2016
  • Creative Minds series panel discussion, US Ambassador’s residence 2016
  • #WakingTheFeminists One Thing More event, Abbey Theatre 2016
  • Sibeal Conference in conversation, NUI Galway 2016
  • TCD Philosophical Society presentation 2017
  • Creative Ireland Gender Policy workshop 2017
  • Women of the World festival presentation & panel discussion, Hull 2017
  • Rough Magic’s ‘The Train’ panel discussion, Abbey Theatre 2017
  • Circus & Gender conference presentation, Mercat de los Flores Barcelona 2017
  • Arts Council’s Future Retrospectives panel discussion, Science Gallery 2017
  • UCD theatre studies seminar 2017
  • Sandymount Study Group & Curious Dolls Study Group presentations 2017
  • Sugarglass Theatre post show discussion 2017
  • Pori Theatre Festival in conversation, Finland 2017

 

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It’s all go.

Design for performance, Event coordination

A bit of an overview post of the past couple of months. It’s been busy.

2015-04-22 10.16.28– A Girl is a Half-formed Thing won a Fringe First and the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award 2015 during its run at the Traverse this August. Aoife Duffin also won the Award for Acting Excellence from The Stage. The London run at the Young Vic for early 2016 has been announced.

– I designed for performances in more dusty disused spaces: a doll factory in Crolly, Co. Donegal, and an unused shop unit in Smithfield, Dublin. More to follow on these.

– My photo (right) was used for the front cover of the Earagail Arts Festival brochure.

– I’ve been selected to take part in the Theatre Forum/Dublin Theatre Festival Next Stage programme later this month – aka theatre bootcamp.

– I was invited to take part in a lovely Dinner and Dialogue event to talk about good design in a beautiful Georgian house in Dublin’s city centre, as part of the year of Irish Design.

– Moonfish Theatre’s Star of the Sea is fitting up again this week for its national tour, including a few days as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.

– Thanks to grants from the Arts Council’s Theatre Artist Development Scheme I’m developing a pilot initiative with Mermaid Arts Centre called Gap Days for freelance theatre workers to take paid days to think, dream and plan for later this year, as well as preparing for year four of the Pan Pan International Mentorship programme.

Like I said, all go.

First days of Wandering Methods craft project

Event coordination
Wandering Methods 3

Fit of the giggles.

Here are some photos of our first couple of workshop days on this year’s Wandering Methods project in Dublin Castle.

This is the third year of a craft project co-run by Bealtaine Festival and Craftspace (Birmingham) in collaboration with the Office of Public Works.

In 2012 I coordinated the first version in Rathfarnham Castle and many of the original participants are back this year, along with a new cohort who live close to Dublin Castle. All participants are of retirement age upwards, and have varying craft skill levels – from none at all, to third level arts education.

This year’s lead artist is textile artist Liz Nilsson, and we have a visiting craft designer, Jenny Walsh, who will be introducing the group to the finer points of digital craft.

What one of the participants hopes for the Wandering Methods project.

What one of the participants hopes for the Wandering Methods project.

The focus of this project is really on the process of learning about the history of the Castle together and making work together. For the participants, attending workshops and developing ideas and craft skills as part of a group is the most important aspect of Wandering Methods – we expect to have some kind of exhibition or display in the Castle at the end of the project, but that’s not necessarily the focus of the day-to-day work.

For me, it’s a chance to spend time with a gang of raucous, hard-working, dedicated and hilarious women and men who are hungry to meet each other, to learn skills, to soak up the history of the Castle and to turn their hands to making things they never thought they could.

Videos from Voyage and Return symposium

Event coordination
Peter Crawley, Aoife Monks, Willie White & Fiona Shaw at Voyage and Return

Peter Crawley, Aoife Monks, Willie White & Fiona Shaw at Voyage and Return. Photo: Senija Topcic

Voyage and Return was part of the Festival Plus programme I coordinated for Dublin Theatre Festival in October 2013. This day long symposium looked at the international journeys of Irish theatre and theatre artists, and comprised an academic seminar and two public discussions. It was presented by DTF in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin as part of The Gathering Ireland.

Click on the links below to watch videos of actress Fiona Shaw‘s talk with Dr. Aoife Monks of Birkbeck University and the panel discussion between playwright Nancy Harris, director Gavin Quinn and actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor chaired by theatre critic Peter Crawley, who also curated the symposium.

Fiona Shaw in conversation [YouTube]

Panel Discussion [YouTube]