The Children’s Council
The Ark Children’s Council is a unique opportunity for a group of children of 4th and 6th class age to gain special access to events at The Ark for a full year.
The Council are mentored and guided by The Ark Engagement and Participation Artist Shaun Dunne. They work together collaboratively over the course of the year, engaging with and responding to The Ark’s busy program.
The Council is the formal mechanism for child participation in The Ark’s artistic and strategic decision-making. The council have the opportunity to become familiar with a range of artforms, to look behind the scenes, collaborate with The Ark staff, see and respond to work in development, and meet and work with visiting artists.
The Ark Children’s council is a dynamic and enriching year long experience. The Children’s Council explore children’s rights through engagement with the arts while also amplifying the voice of the child within our organisation making sure their voices are included in decision making at The Ark.
The Children’s Council is free but it does require commitment and consistent attendance to the program.
In 2019 we commissioned researchers at University College Cork to evaluate the impact and methodology of the Children's Council. You can read a summary of that research here: Executive Summary An Evaluation Of The Operation Impact Of The Ark Children's Council.
Recruitment is underway now for 2025/2026 council group. Full details below.
Take a look at the videos below to get an idea of what the council get up to!