A drop-in centre at the Irish Museum of Modern Art offers teenagers an opportunity to develop their own work alongside those of famous artists

STUDIO 8, a small space in the picturesque grounds of Kilmainham’s Irish Museum for Modern Art (Imma), is slowly establishing itself as a creative place for the next generation of Irish artists.

Two years ago, Imma opened this Saturday drop-in studio for students aged between 15 and 18 years. The format is simple but effective: students can simply turn up and meet an artist who can help them with their creative work, and then link this project to an Imma exhibition.

Susan Kealy (18), now a first-year English student at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design, and Technology (IADT), has attended Studio 8 on many occasions in the past year. She explains: “I did my Transition Year work experience at Imma’s education department, and it was an eye-opener to see what goes on behind the scenes. Then last year, I came across Studio 8 and I haven’t stopped coming since. Every two weeks there’s a new artist to lead the workshops, and we explore various mediums; in the past, we’ve worked with film, sculpture, photography, painting, and more.”

Earlier this year, Studio 8 visitors created sculptures, paintings and other artworks for a special exhibition celebrating poet Seamus Heaney’s 70th birthday.

Later, on October 17th and 24th, Susan and other workshop participants had two sessions with Irish artist Majella Clancy, whose work explores the relationship between painting and digital imagery and blurs the lines between fine art and photography. Clancy was leading a workshop in response to Imma’s Traces limited edition prints exhibit.

Students may leave a workshop with a completed piece, or they can return again to complete their work.

“This is a drop-in programme, running from 11am-4pm on selected dates,” says Lynne McGrane, Studio 8 co-ordinator. “We are providing teens with access to time, space, and materials, which they may not have in the classroom.

“People are welcome to stay for a few minutes, a few hours, or the whole day.

“Last year, there was a core of students who came regularly – including many in transition year – and we’re seeing that again this year. It’s very free.

THE SET-UP ALLOWSthem to take an idea that may be germinating, and develop it over a week or more. The co-ordinators and the visiting artist are not here to tell them what to do, only to offer advice and guidance."

Majella Clancy says:

“By its nature, this is an open space, and that means there’s no specific outcome or specific length of time expected from anyone. Workshops can often be short, two-hour events, with a lot of pressure. Here, it’s much more relaxed; as a result, we’ve seen young people create some really great art works.

STUDIO 8

Studio 8 is available on Saturdays for students on a drop-in basis between 11am and 4pm from November 14th to December 12th and next year between early March and late April.

All activities are free and bookings are not required.

A workshop entitled Critical Writing for Modern and Contemporary Art, will be held between November 14th and 21st.

The workshops will be led by Fiona Loughnane, lecturer in visual culture at the National College of Art and Design, and will allow participants to explore their critical writing skills in response to Imma's Between Metaphor and Object: Art of the 90s from the Imma Collection.