Rialto Youth Project / NCAD Access Programme Exhibition & Seminar • A short-run visual arts exhibition & seminar event co-organised by the Rialto Youth Project (RYP) and NCAD Access

Seminar & Q&A session  Wednesday 28 March, 12pm — 2pm.
Exhibition Opening Event  Wednesday 28 March, 2pm — 5pm.
Exhibition continues Thursday 29 March, 11am — 5pm.

The NCAD Gallery is pleased to present, Our Lives, Our Journey, Our City, this exhibition and parallel seminar event is the culmination of the work by forty-six young people from the Rialto Youth Project Art Group / NCAD Access Programme facilitated by two Artists, six NCAD Student Artist-Teachers, and four Youth Workers throughout the years of 2015 — 2018.

The Our Lives, Our Journey, Our City exhibition takes place in the context of the partnership between the National College of Art and Design, Dublin facilitated by the NCAD Access Programme and local community organisation, Rialto Youth Project in Dublin 8. The NCAD and Rialto Youth Project have worked together for many years in a variety of ways and in particular in visual arts. Much of the work has focused on introducing young people to visual arts practices and broadening their experiences and expression through a range of techniques, visitations to galleries, field trips and exhibiting their work at the College.

The Rialto Youth Art Group, located at the F2 Neighbourhood Centre, Rialto, have over a number of years attended summer workshops in drawing and printmaking at the NCAD, participated in a Letterpress Workshop followed by a six week printing project that included a visit to the Blackchurch Print Studio in Temple Bar. As well as more recently, young teenager’s visits to the NCAD departments & NCAD Gallery participating in experiential workshops such as print, soft materials, darkroom processing and curating, also making extensive visits to the Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The Group engagement with the NCAD has demonstrated both a commitment to art and design as well as creative potential, and NCAD Access is delighted to support this group in encouraging these young people from our local community in their creative journey.

For the Rialto Youth Project, an integral part of their Visual Arts Programme and important relationship with the NCAD is to open up the art world to the many young people involved who have never had the opportunity to experience art institutions or galleries, therefore creating a sense of equality and accessibility. This can enrich a young person, giving them the opportunity to respond to new experiences, meet diverse students, and build confidence. The Rialto Youth Project has spent many years developing a model of practice across five art forms which encourage children and young people to develop their passions and interests and explore art as play, as education and as a profession. Building relationships, both with young people and with the NCAD.
For many of the artists and student artist-teachers who have worked within Rialto, working with the Rialto Youth Group has opened up their practices, given them new perspectives on audience engagement and expanded their interpersonal skills, creating awareness of their neighbours in the Liberties area and connection to the broader community beyond the campus.

The NCAD Gallery is delighted to host the Rialto Youth Project / NCAD Access Our Lives, Our Journey, Our City exhibition and seminar event, and pleased to welcome the Rialto Music Academy who will perform at the exhibition opening event.  All are welcome to attend.

Our Lives, Our Journey, Our City – Seminar Schedule

12.00   Event & Welcome Introduction  Dannielle McKenna, RYP Youth Worker.
12.15    ‘Speaking Truth to Power’  Fiona Whelan, Artist.
12.30   The NCAD Access Programme  Finola McTernan, Access Officer, NCAD.
12.40   The value of arts within the community & the role of the youth worker  Sue Fagan, RYP.
12.50   The role of the artist-educator within a community setting Chloe Brenan, RYP Artist Faciliator
13.00   The student artist-teacher perspective  Megan Maguire + Silvia Koistinen
13.15    Q+A  Facilitated by Dannielle McKenna, Rialto Youth Project
13.30   Rialto Music Academy Performance led by Sean Miller and Sue Fagan, RYP
13.45   Official opening of the exhibition: Our Lives, Our Journey, Our City – Fiona King, Coordinator of the Professional Master of Education (PME) in Art Education, NCAD; Lecturer & Researcher in Art and Design Education
14.00   Presentation to Young Artists by Jim Lawlor, Manager, Rialto Youth Project followed by Refreshments.

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Event & Exhibition Team: Chloe Brennan (RYP Artist Facilitator), Susan Fagan (RYP Youth Worker), Erika Freeney (RYP Youth Worker), Anne Kelly (NCAD Gallery Curator), Fiona King (NCAD Lecturer), Sylvia Koistinen (Student Artist-Teacher, NCAD), Megan Maguire (Student Artist-Teacher, NCAD), Barrie McCormack (RYP Youth Worker), Dannielle McKenna (RYP Youth Worker), Finola McTernan (NCAD Access Officer).
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For information on the NCAD Access Programme please contact Finola McTernan mcternanf@ncad.ie
Find out more about the Rialto Youth Project at the following link http://rialtoyouthproject.net