Bailieborough Library

Developing Creative Practice Across Borders is a project initiated by Cavan County Council and funded by Léargas under Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo da Vinci Mobility.

In total 33 Irish artists took up placements at six host organisations.   The artists had diverse backgrounds including, visual and performance art, music, literature and theatre.   The artists were at various stages in their career development.  All the artists participated to experience working in a European arts environment and incorporating this learning to their own practice.

An exhibition bringing together a collection of work from artists who participated on Developing Creative Practice Across Borders is taking place at  Bailieborough Library from 28 May to 26 June during Library opening hours.  

On 14 May a symposium for the participating artists was held at Cavan Town Hall.   This was a day to share, celebrate and discuss the value of European exchange for artists.   A number of the artists gave short presentations and provided examples of their work.   Maria Kerin, artist spoke about how her European brokering experience has developed her art practice.  Audrey Keane, from the Arts Council International Arts provided examples of successful Cultural Exchange projects.   Lemmit Kaplinski from Trykimuuseum, Paper and Print Museum Tartu talked about his experience hosting the Irish artists and his more diverse experience as a regular partner in European exchange.  Elva Duggan, Léargas spoke about her excitement about this project which provided artists with opportunities to experience different work environments. Eoin Doyle, Cavan County Council complimented all the artists for taking part in the project and in particular complimented the creative team who have taken over the Townhall and that European event was their first in the space and a historic moment for them and the Townhall.   The exhibition from the artists indicated their response to their European experience among the highlights on the day was a highly imaginative piece by Michelle Boyle at Cavan Townhall, a new piece of writing by Ray Fitzsimons performed by him and Kim Mc Cafferty at the Lifeforce Mill.   Ita Madden and Bee Smith read from their poetry on the streets, Heather Brett read from her new work Witness and Cathaoirleach Shane P O Reilly read poetry from Kay Carmichael and Carena Cosgrove.   

Speaking about her experience at Arvon Ita Madden said ‘It was fantastic to have the time and support to write and working with the tutors who were all professional and published.’

This event is curated by trans art: Sally O Dowd, Siobhan Harton and Joe Keenan.  

The Partners

The host partners are:

• Arvon Creative Writing Centre Lumb Bank, close to Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England.
• MoostekulalisStuudio MTU (MoKS) Centre for Art and Social Practice;
• Tartu Print and Paper Museum;
• Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (incubation units for arts entrepreneurs);
• Feile an Phobail, a community arts festival in Belfast; and
• Coatbridge College in Scotland (performing arts department).
•  

According to Lemmit Kaplinski, Manager of the Tartu Print and Paper Museum, “For The Estonian Printing Museum, this collaboration is a vindication of our acquired skills and know-how in the challenging jungle of managing a private cultural institution in the 21st century. Our name has the word "museum" in it, but since our founding, we have been involved with artistic exchanges and co-operation on an international level. It is also our hope that the successful outcome of the current project will lay down a framework for two-way exchanges in the future.”