'Think outside the box - there's nothing you won't be able to do'

Sprog children's festival offers children a chance to open their minds and have fun, writes Sylvia Thompson

RUN FOR Your Lifeis the title of Sam's book. "I like wars and that type of stuff," he says. Moggy the Which's (sic ) Catis the title of Hollie's book, except Moggy is not a witch's cat, we learn on the first page.

Both eight year olds are participating in a free book-making workshop with illustrator Adrienne Geoghegan on the first day of Sprog 2010, the five-day programme of workshops and performances in Garter Lane Arts Centre in Waterford city that started yesterday. It is held every year the week ahead of Spraoi, that city’s annual street performance and outdoor music festival.

“The street performance festival can be overwhelming for children so this programme of free workshops and shows gives them a chance to do something,” says Caroline Senior, arts director at Garter Lane.

While seven to nine-year-olds were creating their own stories downstairs, another equally enthusiastic group was decorating fairy cakes upstairs. “It’s always the first workshop to book out,” says Lily O’Reilly, general manager of Garter Lane.

Boys and girls were busy sculpting teddy bear and clown faces, ladybirds and flowers from the colourful sugar-paste icing under the instruction of Catherine Hartry from Edible Dreams speciality cake shop. “I do fairy cake decorations at my granny’s house,” Finn (five) says. He has created a lizard, a clown’s face and balloons with a jet engine about to burst them on his fairy cakes.

“I hope the festival helps you open your minds, have fun and think outside the box so that there’s nothing you won’t be able to do,” said Waterford’s mayor, Mary Roche as she officially opened the Enchanted exhibition at lunchtime yesterday at Garter Lane Arts Centre.

Children outnumbered adults at the event where fruit cordial, marshmallows and Jammie Dodgers were served.

The exhibition, which continues until the end of August, features framed original illustrations from five published illustrators: Annie West, Adrienne Geoghegan, Bruce Ingman, Niamh Sharkey and Oisin McGann.

After the official opening, adults and children sat around reading books in the light-filled Georgian building that Garter Lane Gallery calls home. At 2pm, some of the featured illustrators of those books appeared to read and do a few spontaneous sketches.

One such illustrator was Bruce Ingman, accompanied by his children, Ted and Alvie. As he read from The Pencil, a book written by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by himself, the audience was entertained by unscripted prompts from Ingman's children and other junior members of the audience. "I'm always struck by how passionate children here are about books and their love of words," Ingman said.

Kathleen Delaney, acting visual arts co-ordinator at Garter Lane, came up with the idea to hold the exhibition of children’s book illustrations alongside the readings and workshops. And Children’s Books Ireland sponsored the illustrated books available for children to read at the exhibition.

“Illustrators are dying to have their work shown in a gallery setting because it gives them a certain status they wouldn’t get from being a children’s book illustrator,” said Tom Donegan of Children’s Books Ireland. He said the show allowed people to see different illustration styles in the same space, which was a rare thing.

The exhibition also featured a selection of wall-mounted books chosen by local celebrities and children with explanations as to why each book was chosen.

Sprog continues at the Garter Lane Gallery until Friday. Events include a Baby Boogie for babies and toddlers at 2.30pm today, Dizzy Dancers workshop for ages five and upwards today at 3.15pm and Noisy Art workshops from 10.30am-noon, today until Friday. Little Red Kettle's summer play, There Might Be Zombiesis on in the Garter Lane Theatre on Friday at 8pm (age 5+). The exhibition of children's book illustrations continues until the end of August. Tel: 051-855038; see garterlane.ie. Spraoi runs from Friday until Sunday with street theatre and outdoor music. See spraoi.com