The Ark Children’s Council is made up of 15 children from 5th classes from schools in Dublin’s inner city. Led by Artist-in-Residence, Shaun Dunne, they will spend 2016 working together collaboratively to ensure their voices are included in future decision making at The Ark
As part of our ongoing 21st birthday celebrations, The Ark is delighted to launch its first ever Children’s Council, with an event called The Children’s Soap Box. The Ark Children’s Council is made up of 15 children from 5th classes from schools in Dublin’s inner city. Led by Artist-in-Residence, Shaun Dunne, they will spend 2016 working together collaboratively to ensure their voices are included in future decision making at The Ark, Ireland’s only dedicated cultural centre for children.
The Children’s Soap Box on Friday 18 March, is the first project of The Ark’s Children’s Council. In it the young people will discuss what it means to be a child in 2016. This special event to launch and introduce The Ark’s new Children’s Council, gives a voice to children from across Dublin and a platform to express their views and wishes for Ireland of the future.
In preparation for the event, the children have been working with Shaun Dunne to explore their hopes and dreams for our nation’s future. Together, they will shape these into soap box style performances using spoken word, stories and poetry. Interspersing the Council’s performances will be music from celebrated children’s choir RTÉ Cór na nÓg who are appearing at The Ark for the very first time. The choir of more than 60 children aged 10+ will perform songs from their own extensive repertoire that complement the words of the Children’s Council. The Children’s Soap Box is presented in partnership with St Patrick’s Festival.
About the Children’ Council:
The Ark Children’s Council will have free access to all events in The Ark's calendar with the capacity to develop their own programmes and events throughout the year. An “Access All Ark" Council pass means that our young people have access to everything we make and do throughout the year. Council members will be encouraged to bring a friend to Council events on occasion. Council Members will also act as ambassadors in their schools by actively encouraging their school to attend The Ark in a class group capacity which will be supported by The Ark Access programme.
They will be mentored and guided by playwright Shaun Dunne, The Ark’s Artist-in-Residence, who will work to bring out the best in the children and encourage them to express themselves creatively in a safe and nurturing environment. The Ark Children's Council will explore active citizenship through engagement with the arts.
“We are particularly excited to announce this new artist residency with responsibility for our Children’s Council.” Aideen Howard, Director of The Ark said today. “I am delighted to work with Shaun, one of the most talented artists of his generation, who also has unique experience as a facilitator in working with children. We are excited to have him on board for our inaugural Council and look forward to this new adventure.”
Shaun Dunne said, "When I was younger, opportunities like this were so important to me because there was no other way I could have found a creative outlet. The Abbey Outreach Department and the National Association of Youth Drama were key supporters of my interest in the arts as a child- and I'm so excited to begin this new project with The Ark so that I can be part of a process that widens the door to who gets to go to the theatre and why. Opening our doors to a group of young people for free for a whole year, is a really exciting undertaking and I hope it means that our council members get to find a home in Ireland's creative community like I did at their age."
About Shaun Dunne
Shaun Dunne is a theatre-artist and playwright living in Dublin. Having studied the BA in Journalism from DCU, he is mostly interested in making work that talks about Ireland today. Recent projects included The Waste Ground Party at the Abbey Theatre, Advocacy at Project Arts Centre and I've to mind her (Dublin Theatre Festival, 2013). Shaun is also the writer in association for Talking Shop Ensemble and recently worked as a key facilitator on THEATREclub's The Game.
The Ark Children’s Council 2016 members:
Katie Learmouth (11) & Kellyanne Daly (12), St Laurence O'Toole's Girls NS
Rowan Moore (10) & Ella Gannon (10), City Quay NS
Saoirse Cannon (10), St Bridget's NS, Haddington Road
Naoise Byrne (10), St Patrick's Girls NS, Ringsend
Grace Hickey (11) & Kelly Ogan (11), Rutland NS
Ollie West (11), St Mary's NS, Haddington Road
Lee Geoghegan (10), Scott McCluskey (10) & Jamie Nangle (10), St Patrick's Boys NS, Ringsend
Paul Barlau (12), Reece Butler (11) & Adam Falegan (12), St Laurence O'Toole's Boys CBS
About The Ark:
As Ireland’s only dedicated cultural centre for children, The Ark in Temple Bar is at the forefront of commissioning and presenting new artistic work for children and families.
The Ark gratefully acknowledges the support of its principal funder the Arts Council and also its other annual supporters: the Department of Education and Skills, Temple Bar Cultural Trust, Dublin City Council and UNESCO Dublin City of Literature.