I create opportunities to think and connect
I am an artist who facilitates get togethers, with an emphasis on walking, talking, and informal hanging out as a way to have meaningful conversations and connections.
I also offer one-to-one coaching, planning, and review sessions for artists and arts workers.
I am a thoughtful and encouraging mentor with over 25 years experience in the arts.
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Recent activity includes:
· 100+ hours of one-to-one coaching and planning with 40+ artists and arts workers to date
· Leading walks for artists and arts workers to take time to reflect on their practice and get to know each other as part of Gap Day, Gap Exchange, and with Makers Making More at Droichead Arts Centre
· Facilitation of Join The Dots, a network building project by Irish Society of Performance Designers
· Facilitation of Six In The Attic (2024) artist support programme for Irish Theatre Institute
· Guidance of Self Organised Architecture’s mentorship project Reimagining Elderhood
· Facilitation of The Playwright Sessions for THISISPOPBABY
· Mentorship for the lead artists of Common Crow Theatre
· Hosting Bursary Artist Chats, a monthly online artist networking and support gathering during Covid
· Facilitation of online and in person gatherings for Irish Theatre Institute, Pan Pan, Theatre Forum, and IETM, among others
· Training with Relational Dynamics 1st and Action Learning Associates.
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Best thing about coaching?
“The space to think things out, aloud. And to be listened to.”
“I think one of the greatest things with coaching is that you start to support yourself. It gives you the agency to affirm your own work/choices/etc.”
“Even though I wasn’t sure if ‘I was doing it right’, I always felt safe in the knowledge that everything was confidential.”
“Getting to the end of my sentence or point, and not being met with a response or an answer, and then finding my own answer out of that silence. That’s probably the thing that stays with me the most.”
“I found coaching to be an excellent way to affirm my own agency and believe in myself a bit more as an artist and a human being. Lian is great for creating space to do that.”
Some selected testimonials:
“Coaching with Lian has been a wonderful experience. I’ve come away from our sessions with a greater sense of clarity about my work and the direction I want it to take in the coming year. In each session, Lian creates a supportive, open space that encourages self-reflection, and asks helpful questions that, for me, led to surprising discoveries. This kind of work is difficult to do alone. I’d recommend coaching to any artist, especially one who wants to interrogate or rethink aspects of their practice or career.”
“The session provided a safe outlet for me to verbalise ideas that were swirling around my head but that I hadn’t expressed confidently out loud. It was incredibly powerful and satisfying.”
“It helped me to break down what seemed like enormous tasks into bitesize, manageable actions and thus become far more productive. It has helped me to tap into my own well of resources and to trust in my own abilities. It has aided me in establishing a healthier work/life balance.”
“By the end of our final session I felt much more confident in my own capabilities and trusted myself more fully. I took on numerous challenges that I know the sessions helped me with and others I may not have attempted had I not discussed them in our sessions.”
“It has been extremely useful in helping me reflect on my practice, talk through some issues aloud, organize my thoughts, challenge my thinking and forge a path forward.”
“I found that having the ability to talk freely and follow threads of thinking I may not have otherwise followed led me to a great clarity. It has given me a clarity in my train of thought, and a structured way to set realistic goals.”