In Spring 2023, Sample-Studios will present a new partnership exhibition with the National Arts in Education Portal, showcasing work from artists in the field of arts and creativity in education based in the south west region, as part of the 2023 Spring Regional Day which will take place in Cork City.
In November 2021, Sample-Studios Artistic Director, Aoibhie McCarthy and member and lead Education Programme tutor Kate McElroy presented to the National Arts in Education Portal Annual Conference about our Cork Creative Careers Programme and Cork Young Curators and Critics Programme. Through this connection as speakers, Sample-Studios and the Arts in Education Portal began a dialogue about the need to offer profile to arts educational practitioners in Munster, to stimulate knowledge sharing amongst peers and collaborations, as well as awareness amongst wider audiences about the important role of arts education and arts educators in the community.
The annual Arts in Education Portal Spring Regional Day in 2023 will take place in Cork City and presents an opportunity to connect with the arts and creativity in the education community across the South and South West, to share practice and find out what opportunities and events are available in this region. Each year, the event welcomes artists, teachers, educators, and arts in education professionals to a series of presentations, discussions and creative workshops.
Collaborating with Sample-Studios on an exhibition to complement the programme will present both this audience and a wider public audience with an opportunity to delve deeper into the creative practice shared on the day adding another layer of engagement. The exhibition will be curated by the Arts in Education Portal team and will invite keynote speakers and presenters at the Portal Regional Day to exhibit documentation and artwork from best practice examples of their own work. An opening reception for delegates will be held as part of the Regional Day programme.
As the event will showcase the work of Munster-based arts in education professionals, those professionals will be invited to host public talks and workshops outside of the regional day to engage broader audiences. Public workshop engagement will be supported by Cork City Council Community Arts Officer, Siobhan Clancy and the Arts for All Network, an organisation who support inclusivity in the Cork arts community.