These recent months have been very hard on the Arts in Ireland and Wales and the Ports Past and Present Project is delighted to announce the awarding of twelve commissions of £5,000 each to creative practitioners based in Ireland and Wales.
Creative Connections commissions will develop work that reflects the rich cultural and historic heritage of the port communities around Dublin Port, Holyhead, Fishguard, Rosslare and Pembroke Dock, along with the journeys taken across the Irish Sea between these places. The proposed work covers a wide range of media, from sound pieces and film to sculpture, postcards, poetry, photography and nature writing. Each commission will be produced in close conversation with the port communities and be supported by the wider work of Ports, Past and Present.
Our Creative Connections recipients are Rua Barron and Hannah Power, David Begley, Zillah Bowes, Gillian Brownson, Kathy D’Arcy, Jon Gower, Julie Merriman, Peter Murphy, Augustine O’Donoghue, Marged Pendrell, Peter Stevenson and Jacob Whittaker, and Jaqueline Yallop. Further information about their projects can be found on our website: https://portspastpresent.eu/
Ports Past and Present seeks to investigate the heritage of these ports and the Irish Sea crossings, and create common understanding between these communities. The project team and the artists involved are interested in hearing from anyone with a story to share. You can email us at ports@ucc.ie and we will get in touch.
‘Ports, Pasts and Present: Cultural Crossings between Ireland and Wales’ – is a joint initiative with University College Cork (UCC) and Wexford County Council in Ireland, and in Wales with Aberystwyth University and the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
The Creative Connections strand is run by the University of Wales Centre for Welsh and Celtic Studies and Wexford County Council. If a member of the press would like further information on these awards you can contact mary-ann.constantine@cymru.ac.uk.
The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation programme and is led by UCC.
Image: Holyhead, Yale Center for British Art PD