Presented by Rua Red and Civic Theatre

Forum is part of a cultural diversity research project commissioned by Rua Red and Civic Theatre. Its objective is to explore the cultural richness of migrant communities living throughout South Dublin County. Envisaged as a stepping stone towards a long-term process of connection, collaboration and engagement, Forum invites community leaders and arts sector providers to engage in a series of transcultural dialogues to learn from each other in mutual exchange. Forum aims to identify barriers to access and provision that may exist or inhibit ethnic groups from originating or participating in art and cultural activities in South Dublin County arts venues. Central to this event is an understanding of cultural diversity as a plurality of identities, described in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on cultural diversity as ‘an adaptive process [with] a capacity for expression, creation and innovation’.

This research project is supported by Civic Theatre, Rua Red, South Dublin County Arts Office, The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, the Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice, Dublin Institute of Technology, Create – National Development Agency for Collaborative Arts and the Global Migration Collective. Forum is funded in partnership with Donegal County Council, Mayo County Council and South Dublin County Council, under the Arts Council of Ireland – An Invitation to Collaboration Scheme 2017, supporting innovative and ambitious Local Authority collaborations.

Research: Zoë O’Reilly

Forum is curated by Anthony Haughey and Zoë O’Reilly

Events

‘Stories of Place’: A Creative Mapping Workshop
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 11-12.30pm

‘Stories of Place’ aims to show how one particular group of people from very different cultures and parts of the world live and experience their place – Clondalkin. The session will be led by people from the Clondalkin Intercultural
Centre and will be facilitated by Zoë O’Reilly and Jenny Macdonald. The facilitators will invite members of the public to take part in a creative mapping workshop and experience their individual stories of place. Workshop spaces are free but booking is essential. All welcome. To book call 01 451 5860 or click here.

Where in the World? – Tallaght Community Arts / South Dublin County Council Arts Office
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 6pm
Continues until Fri, 13 Apr

‘Where in this World’ is an exhibition featuring felt artwork and audio recordings of participants’ stories gathered through an intercultural/intergenerational project that brought people in South Dublin County together to share and create. Through the process of felting, participant shave woven together the worlds they come fromand the worlds they hope to create. Dramatist: Jenny Macdonald, Lead Felt Artist: Gabriella McGrath, Producer:Jennifer Webster. Admission is Free. No booking necessary. The residency was commissioned by Tallaght Community Arts in partnership with South Dublin County Council, Mayo County Council and Donegal County Council. It is funded under the under the Arts Council of Ireland – An Invitation to Collaboration Scheme 2017, supporting innovative and ambitious Local Authority collaborations.

Culture Clinic
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 6pm
Continues until Fri, 13 Apr

We are all part of the changing culture that is Ireland today! What does belonging to a place mean? What does belonging to several places mean, how does language, landscape, climate and the colour, texture, smell, taste and feel of a place affect us?

Culture Clinic is a display of artefacts from the Culture Clinic experiment, a participatory process developed during Laragh Pittman’s residency as part of the Citizen Artist Award for Common Ground. Her proposal is to establish an Invisible Museum: a repository to capture the complexity of experience of new people settling in Dublin city and to visualise the often transient and unacknowledged contribution they make to the fabric of Irish life. Admission is Free. No booking necessary.

Mens Shed’s Association, Fettercairn & Anthony Haughey – Forum, Table Installation
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 6pm
Continues until Fri, 13 Apr

Kelvin Akpaloo – Migration: My Story
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 6pm
Continues until Friday, 13 Apr
Short film (5 mins)

Kelvin Akpaloo speaks about his own story of moving to Ireland from Ghana to Ireland and the ways in which Ireland has made him the person he is today. The aim of the film is to create awareness around the reasons for migration and to encourage appreciation among migrants of what their host country can offer them. The film was written and performed by Kelvin Akpaloo, shot and edited by Peter Kelly, with the support of South Dublin County Council Arts Office and Civic Theatre (and Tallaght Community Arts, National Youth Council of Ireland, Eurobug and No Hate speech movement).

Jijo Sebastian – Box (2016)
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr, 6pm
Continues until Fri, 13 Apr
Short film (15 mins)

Jijo Sebastian is a science graduate turned film maker. He has made five short films and one feature-length film focusing on the lives of the Keralite Indian community in Ireland. Jijo is interested in themes of identity and belonging in a globalized world. His work is often experimental in form and darkly comic. His films have been screened at international film festivals including the International Short Film Festival of Uruguay (2013), Vibgyor International Film Festival, Thrissur, Kerala, India (2013) and Fokana Film Festival, Illinois, USA (2014). He was recipient of a Create – Artist in the Community Award (2015) and an Arts Council Next Generation Bursary (2016).

Budoor Al-Abri & Paula Dunne – My Hijab
Rua Red Gallery, Wed 11 Apr – Fri 13 Apr
HD video and sound (7 mins, 30secs)

In this short film a group of young women living in Ireland discuss why they have chosen to wear the Hijab and how it affects their everyday lives and cultural identities. Co-Directors Budoor Al-Abri & Paula Dunne will graduate from the School of Media, Dublin institute of technology in 2018.

Jung-A Han – Voice: 목소리: Moksoli  
Rua Red Gallery, Wed, 11 Apr (live performance), 7pm
Installation continues until Fri, 13 Apr

Voice:목소리:Moksoli originated by Jung-A Han with invited performer Yoon Kyung Chung is a 15 minute live performance and audio installation exploring aspects of dual identity, a condition often experienced by migrants arriving in a new country. A reciprocal exchange of diverse experiences results in hybridity of cultures and language resulting in transcultural experiences for migrants and host country citizens alike. The performance explores themes of immigration and disorientation utilising calligraphy writing and dance. The audio installation (44 mins, 49 secs) consists of a series of interviews featuring personal perception and diverse cultural identities.

Jung-A Han is a Korean artist who works and lives in Ireland. She studied Fine Art at the institute of Technology, Carlow and she is currently in her final year of an MA in Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art and Design & Technology. This performance forms part of her final year research project.

Yoon Kyung Chung is a Korean dancer, teacher and choreographer who lives and works in Ireland. She graduated with an MA in Dance from Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France in 2005.

Transcultural Dialogues
Transcultural Dialogues 1
Civic Theatre, Thurs, 12 Apr, 10.30 -12.30pm

Migrant communities and organisations from across South County Dublin will discuss their approach to building and sustaining a strong community and cultural identity. Lunch will be provided.

Transcultural Dialogues 2
Rua Red/Civic Theatre. Thurs, 12 Apr, 2pm – 4.30pm. Origami workshop with USHA at Rua Red Gallery 2pm – 2.30pm

Arts and cultural organisations discuss their approach to multi ethnic arts provision in South County Dublin and beyond. All welcome. Transcultural Dialogues is a free event but booking is essential. To book call 01 451 5860 or click here.

Somali Community Dialogue – Epic journeys, hospitality and home. What is the future for second generation migrants in Ireland?  
Rua Red Gallery, Fri, 13 Apr, 5pm – 7pm

Members of the Somali Community lead a discussion Somali food will be provided following this event, organised by the Global Migration Collective.

An Evening of Somali Music and Performers.
Civic Theatre, Fri, 13 Apr, 7pm
Booking required

An evening of Somali music with leading musician Kalif Osman Abdi. Kalif Osman Abdi known as ‘Sayid Khalifa’ is a prominent Somali Singer. Among the most influential and enduring Somali singers. He is best known for his songs “Hablaha Geeska Afrikoow” (The ladies of Horn of Africa) and “Waxbarasho “(Education). To book call 01 451 5860 or click here.

Coffee and chat with the Directors

The Directors of Rua Red Gallery and Civic Theatre will be available from Wednesday to Friday throughout the day for an informal chat with any members of the community wishing to meet with them. Booking is essential. Please call 01 451 5860.

Guided tours of Rua Red and Civic Theatre

Get to know what these venues offer. Guided tours of the two venues will take place regularly.

Forum is supported by South Dublin County Arts Office, Civic Theatre, Rua Red, Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice, DIT, Create – National Development Agency for Collaborative Arts and the Global Migration Collective.