The Ark’s Children’s Council Blog: May update from Shaun Dunne

The Council are settling in-
We’re establishing a routine-
And a lot of stuff is still happening in 2016!
Here’s what we got up to in April!

One of the most important things about having a Council resident for a year with The Ark is establishing the understanding that this building (and all its wonders) is theirs to make the most of. However, telling young people they are welcome somewhere doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to feel comfortable rocking up over the weekend. A lot of our work is in rolling out the carpet and allowing our members to establish an ownership of their own. This comes quicker to some than others. The capacity to feel part of the furniture is something most chancers are blessed with- but for young people it can take that extra bit of graft before they feel like they have actual agency within a space.

As artist in residence with responsibility to the Council, making sure they feel comfortable is really the biggest part of my remit. Every time we meet, I’m encouraging them to engage with the programme, ask questions of the structures- quiz the staff on their personal life- everything!

This job was made a lot easier for me in April however as the Put Yourself in the Picture project slashed my graft in a definite half. As they say, there’s nothing like having a giant portrait of yourself hanging in a grand window to make you feel at home! Put Yourself in the Picture was an amazing free event that ran during the Easter break where young people of all ages could explore the art of portraiture through photography, pencil, selfies and beyond.

The end result was a stunning hanging exhibition (in the windows, on the walls, the tables) of all who had passed through our building- something the Council were really delighted to be involved in and something that for me, in 2016, felt loudly significant.

We have read so much already this year about children who are not being seen. There is a record number of young people and their families being held away in emergency accommodation, without the proper support and structure they need to feel at ease and valued by our society.
Put Yourself in the Picture, for me, was about making our young people visible. The action was entertaining and informative artistically but it also highlighted them as a priority by making them something you can’t turn away from. Anybody could come to this event and become a part of our walls. It was a beautiful achievement and one that really resonated with me as an artist and advocate for access in the arts.

Towards the end of April, we had our third official Council Session. For this meeting, I ran a group devising and improvisation workshop where the primary goal was to think on your feet, work as a team, invent, listen and have fun.

Most of our young people have never done a drama class before but it’s safe to say they are taking to the medium like a duck to water. Feedback is a crucial part of my workshops and it was amazing to see the young people really critically engage with what each other was offering up- even at this early stage.

Following the workshop, we went to see the brilliant Graffiti Classics perform in the theatre. This was a brilliant show, devised and performed by an international string quartet who fuse classical music with comedy stylings. The group really enjoyed the show and had tonnes of questions for the company afterwards.

To wrap up, we started discussing our Council’s brand and visual identity. Aideen Lynch, our Visual Arts Coordinator, is assisting us in the generation of a Children's Council logo and cover design for our scrap books and other documentation. The tail end of our session was spent making a tentative start on those - with plans to return to the task later in May. I can’t wait to see what designs our young people come up with so make sure to watch this space.

All in all, it was jam packed few weeks at the Ark and a firm step in the right direction for our Council.

Ownership.
Agency.
Residency.
A lot done, a lot begun, and a lot more to do.

Shaun Dunne is The Ark's Artist in Residence