Youth Arts Now Report Launches
On Tuesday, January 31, the Southeast Local Authority Axis Project, in association with Waterford Youth Arts, launched Youth Arts Now at an event in Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre. In attendance was actor Andrew Macklin (as event MC) actress Demi Isaac Oviawe (The Young Offenders) and young people involved in youth arts across a spectrum of disciplines.
Youth Arts Now is a report by researcher and consultant John O’Brien which examines the position and development of youth arts in Ireland and offers a series of recommendations. The research was commissioned by the local authority Arts Services of Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, and Waterford together with Creative Ireland Waterford and facilitated by Waterford Youth Arts. If you would like to read the report here is a link and feedback is welcome.
More info about Youth Arts Now:
Youth Arts Now is an initiative which aims to support the research and future development of youth arts policy and practice in Ireland. It is aimed at youth arts practitioners, youth arts groups, leaders, stakeholders and young people . It will develop a series of ‘ground-up’ policies for youth arts in Ireland, a strategy that could support the development of sustainable funding for youth arts. It’s aims also are to raise the profile and the importance of the youth arts sector and establish an effective network for lobbying and mutual supports for youth arts practitioners and organisations.
Central to the process is the voice of the young person. Beginning with exploratory ‘sit downs’ with young local arts participants and then having to adapt to the ‘lockdown’ scenarios we have evolved our communications in such a way that it can capture data across a wider geographical spectrum better and more efficiently. This allows us to fine hone the mechanisms for youth participation. Youth Arts Now prioritises the engagement of young people, allowing for their full participation and engagement in the design and direction of the project. Informed by the findings of an initial three month research and data collection project in 2020 resourced collectively by the Arts Officers of Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford Councils and Creative Waterford.
Learn more about Youth Arts Now here.
