In association with Wexford County Council and the Arts Council

In 2013, the Living Arts Project was established as an artist-in-residency scheme in primary schools, supporting the existing partnership between the Arts Department of Wexford County Council and Wexford Arts Centre. The aim of this project is to provide children with an understanding and appreciation of contemporary visual art. The Living Arts Project exhibition represents a selection of work produced by the participating primary schools and offers pupils a chance to see their work presented in a professional gallery.

The following artists and schools were selected for the 2025-26 programme: Sonya Weston and Kate Tyrrell with Castlebridge NS (Wexford), Deirdre Meehan-Buttimer and Shannon Jade Wilson with Clonroche NS (Enniscorthy), David Begley and Hanneke van Ryswyk with Curracloe NS (Wexford), and Laura Flood and Mayumi Nakabayashi in Scoil Mhaodhóig (New Ross).

Throughout the residencies, pupils were encouraged to experiment and play and discover their own artistic potential by learning new techniques through sculpture, printmaking, painting, and drawing processes. Diverse themes were explored, including our relationship with the natural world and with each other, as well as mythology, folklore, and the history of Wexford. The activities focused on promoting artistic and interpersonal skills, enabling pupils to recognize the potential of art to be used as a tool for communication and learning.  The residencies have resulted in a playful and experimental exhibition.

A mentorship programme ran alongside each residency, which helped to ensure the effectiveness of the project while also providing a positive critique for the resident artists. In addition, it served to refine methods of engaging with the children throughout each residency. The mentors involved were Michael Fortune, Sheena Furlong, Frank Kane, Laura Ni Fhlaibhin, and Karla Sánchez Zepeda.

The Arts Department of Wexford County Council and Wexford Arts Centre would like to take this opportunity to thank all schools, artists, and mentors involved in the project, and the local community for their support and interest in the project to date.