Announcing The Ark as DCU Artists in Residence 2024/25

The Ark host climate change education workshop with DCU’s Institute of Education students


The Ark were selected as Young People, Children, and Education (YPCE) Artists in Residence for the academic year 2024/'25, funded by The Arts Council.

Students from DCU’s Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching) course joined artists from The Ark in St Patrick’s Campus this semester for a practical workshop showing how art, drama, and music can be integrated in lessons around climate change. Students got to know Jane Groves, Ríona Sally Hartman, and Joanna Parkes really well this autumn. These three artists have been inviting students to bring island worlds to life across visual arts, music, and drama – exploring some themes of sustainability and climate action as they go! They then brought all of their work together for a culminating plenary workshop, which asked them to think about integrating all three art forms.

As part of the YPCE Artist-In-Residence scheme, The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre has been selected to deliver specific opportunities and bespoke programmes for DCU students studying education throughout the current academic year.

Una McCabe, Head of the School of Arts, Education and Movement, spoke about the impact of the residency:

This is an incredible opportunity to share resources, knowledge and experiences between artists, teacher educators and future teachers and progress our shared commitment to advancing a child’s right to access art and culture as part of their learning and development.

Aideen Howard, Director of The Ark, said:

The Ark is delighted to work together with DCU's Institute of Education on this residency, supported by The Arts Council. The Ark's purpose is to realise children’s right to art and culture with ambition and joy. Teachers are key allies in delivering this right. Working alongside Ark artists and the DCU Institute of Education Faculty, the aim of this residency is to share our artistic resources, knowledge and enthusiasm with a new generation of students, enabling them to bring their own expertise to children in the classroom. It builds on The Ark’s long practice of teacher education in the arts, supported by the Department of Education.

Josh Bannon, a Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching) student, described the workshop as “much more enjoyable and hands-on than writing something on your laptop.”

Between the drama, the music and the art, it all comes together. Seeing them all combined gives me great ideas for when I’m in the classroom - my art lesson, my drama lesson and my music lesson can be all combined together. I thought that was a great thing to see.

Marcella Bannon, Cultural Arts Officer at DCU, explained the benefits of the artist-in-residence programme:

Through this artist-in-residence programme, we create an inspiring space where creativity and academia intersect. By working alongside artists, our students gain invaluable hands-on experience, while building the confidence and skills necessary to shape the future of the arts in education.