Dragon's Fire Cafe as part of The Ark's DCU Residency 2024/25

As part of our Young People, Children, and Education (YPCE) Residency Dublin City University, Joanna Parkes led students in a learning through play exercise with a great bunch of children from Grace Park Educate Together National School.

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.

In this practical, play-based workshop children from Grace Park National School visited DCU to engage in this drama and play workshop with artist Joanna Parkes and a group of 3rd year Drama specialism students. In advance of the workshop, Joanna and the students visited the children in school to introduce themselves and a special dragon called Idris who needs help finding out what he's good at- his special skill. They also met with meet Isabella, a cafe owner, who needs help setting up and running her cafe.

Following this, the children came to DCU where Joanna and the students had set up a cafe based play area with play props such as plates, cups, different kinds of play food and cooking materials. The children were invited to join in the sociodramatic play, choosing where they would like to work in the cafe as cooks, waiters or customers and the students joined in the play, engaging with the children as co-players and observers.

This workshop was part two of three of Joanna meeting and working with DCU’s Drama and Early Childhood Education module. In the course of the three engagements with the students, Joanna is able to introduce a concept, have the students practice in role with children, and reflect and respond to the experience and how it might influence their work in settings in the future.

Photos by Gemma Bovenizer