Arts for Access and Inclusion

We’ll hear from Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire about The National Gallery of Ireland’s approach to creating accessible programmes for visitors with autism and visitors with dementia. Sophie Sage joins us from the V&A Museum of Childhood at a critical juncture in the Museum’s history as it embarks on an ambitious redevelopment which presents the opportunity to redesign their new immersive galleries with the needs of each visitor in mind. Adrian Colwell will reflect on how his own interests in accessibility, inclusivity and the social value of the arts led him to found Drag & Draw, life drawing events with drag performers as models, which has toured Ireland since 2018.

Host: Aoibhie McCarthy is the Artistic Director of Sample-Studios, one of Ireland’s largest artist studios and creative workspaces, based in Cork City, Ireland. She was a recipient of the Cork City Council Arts Office Arts for All stipend to attend the Disability & Cultural Management training in early 2021.

Contributors:

Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire is the Education Officer: Art Practice, Accessibility agus Gaeilge in The National Gallery of Ireland. Caomhán leads the development of new programmes for individuals and groups with accessibility requirements including children with autism and adults with dementia. He also devises art practice activities for adults, Irish-language programmes and resources, and facilitates the Sunday drop-in family workshops. Find out more about The National Gallery of Ireland’s https://www.nationalgallery.ie Find out more about The National Gallery of Ireland’s dementia-inclusive activities: https://www.nationalgallery.ie/what-we-do/education-department/access-programme/dementia Find out more about AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity: https://www.asiam.ie

Sophie Sage is the Content Manager and Interpretation Producer at the V&A Museum of Childhood in London. She’s been at the museum for over 7 years and is currently working on a major redevelopment of the Museum. She specialises in family audiences and is involved in the development of the new Play Gallery. Find out more about the V&A Museum of Childhood Redevelopment and New Immersive Galleries - Imagine, Play and Design: https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/transforming-the-va-museum-of-childhood#new-programmes-and-galleries

Adrian Colwell is the founder and producer of Drag & Draw, a life drawing class with drag performers as models. Established in 2018, Drag & Draw is as an alternative social activity for the LGBTQ community and it's supporters. It has held arts classes across Ireland and collaborated with numerous different arts institutions including the Garter Lane Arts Centre, the GAZE Film Festival and the National Gallery of Ireland. Find out more about Drag & Draw Life Drawing Classes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draganddraw/?hl=en

This podcast is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and Cork City Arts Office.