Although West Cork is teeming with artists and craftspeople these days, at local level there is surprisingly little participation in or knowledge of the arts. So says Keran Brady, of the West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen. Importantly, young people are largely unaware of the career opportunities which the sector offers, she argues.
If Brady gets her way, all that is set to change. As co-ordinator of the Arts in Transition project at the centre, she aims to ensure that second-level pupils are given some exposure to the possibilities which the arts offer.
The project she is running has been devised "in a response to the lack of opportunity in the secondary school curriculum in Ireland for young people to participate in and explore the arts, especially within a rural context," she explains.
Before the project was implemented, Brady, a former actor and youth theatre organiser, had worked on programmes in a number of local schools. "I realised that the students had no vocabulary for exploring the arts," she recalls. "There's only one second-level school in Skibbereen, for example, which offers art and you can't do music unless you do it privately outside school.
"Some things are happening in a number of areas of West Cork - Schull and Roscarbery are very good. But there are huge gaps. There are no theatres or cinemas. We do have visiting theatre companies, but it's not the same as having a regular choice - as you have in Dublin."
Brady decided to tap into the wealth of artistic ability available in the area. "We have so many artists and creative people living here, it was a pity not to use them." She has discovered an amazing array of people, including artists, writers, designers, BBC personnel who spend half their lives in West Cork and even a freelance international film director. They are, she says, generous with their time and more than willing to help.
The Art in Transition project is a three-year pilot project aimed at young people in Transition Year, which started in the schools in September last year. The objective is to promote the arts as an accessible form of enjoyment and to make students aware of the opportunities they afford in further education and as a career.
"What we're saying is that the arts is about enjoyment," says Brady. "It's something you can do after school and it's for everybody - not just an elite." The programme offers modules running for seven, eight to 10 weeks, each covering a different discipline. They include visual arts, drama, dance, music, literature, performing arts and, of course, TV, video and film production. Students may choose a combination of any three modules.
Not surprisingly, TV/video/film production is one of the most popular modules, says Brady. "It's vital that students are allowed to make their own choices and not told what to do," she says. "There's an element of personal development in there." Different professionals - usually local - are employed for each session. "In the drama module, for instance, I use an improvisation actor, a director, a playwright. They discuss the negative as well as positive aspects of their lives and highlight their personal experiences.
"They talk about their training, why they decided to go into the profession and their experiences along the way. They give the facts about what it's like to do the job."
Modules include experiential elements which allow students to try out the various art forms. "We're trying to give students a very broad view of the arts. We're saying that the area includes many facets. You may not be interested in acting, but you could be interested in other aspects of drama - set or costume design or lighting, perhaps."
Art students, too, come along to explain how they got into college, while artists talk about why they paint in particular styles.
Already, there's evidence that students are beginning to make career and course choices based on what they have learned.
"A lot of youngsters are not considering the arts as a career," says Brady, "but they can see that the arts might be relevant to a chosen college course. One girl, who was interested in doing graphics and computer design, has decided - as a result of her experience in the project - that she's interested in working in graphics and design in the music industry."
The pilot started with three schools - St Fachtna's De La Salle, Skibbereen; Mercy Heights Secondary School, Skibbereen; and Mount St Michael Secondary School, Rosscarbery. Last year, all Mount St Michael's Transition Year students and Transition Year volunteers from the other two schools participated in the programme. This year, all Transition Year students in all three schools are participating. This, says Brady, is a huge vote of confidence.
Students are encouraged to give feedback on the project. "They appreciate being treated as adults and being part of the process. We ask them to tell us if we're making mistakes. It's giving them a voice to describe their needs and requirements." Already a group of students has formed a youth theatre while other groups are clamouring for weekend workshops in film and visual arts. The students are extremely positive, she says, and some artists have offered work experience placements during the holidays.
For information phone Keran Brady at (028) 22090
