This programme provides opportunities for children (0 – 12 years) and adults to work together to explore creativity and to make artwork.
Discovery Box is a free gallery resource for parents and carers to use with their young children in the gallery to encourage engagement with the artwork.
West Cork Arts Centre commissions guest artists to develop explorations for children and families to investigate and respond to exhibitions in the gallery using a variety of tools, art materials and information sheets .
Discovery Box can be collected at Reception during gallery opening hours for selected exhibitions. The activities take between 15 to 30 minutes. There is only one box so it may be best to call ahead to reserve a time slot.
Spark, an arts and early childhood short course is aimed at very young children and their parent/carers at West Cork Arts Centre. Participants work with the artist, using the gallery as a resource, to develop creative projects and look at ways of practicing art and being creative together with their young child and sharing the experience. The course aims to inspire, to provide time to share and build confidence and ability in arts practices.
The adult learner will also investigate the value of the arts in early childhood to develop physical, intellectual, social, linguistic and emotional development in very young children, develop confidence in their own creative and visual awareness, practice techniques and explore appropriate materials and equipment for use with this age group. Together, participants will put this learning into practice.
Spark is supported by BEAG, an Early Arts initiative of Cork’s Graffiti Theatre Company.
Spark: Art and Early Childhood Short Course │ Sarah Ruttle
For parents / carers and children aged 1 ½ to 5 years
Sarah Ruttle graduated from a Bachelor of Design in Textiles (University of Dundee, Scotland) in 2002. She works as an artist facilitator on the Arts for Health programme, West Cork Mental Health Care services and groups supported by West Cork BTEI and VEC. She offers participants the opportunity to explore art through a broad spectrum of media and techniques. She own practice involves drawing, textiles, mixed media and photography. Sarah lives in West Cork and is the parent of two young children.
BEAG is an Early Arts initiative of Graffiti Theatre Company with the support of Cork City and County Councils and Cork Arts and Health Programme HSE South. BEAG involves a team of artists working in early childcare settings with children and childcare workers in a variety of ways, including individual residencies and as an integrated team. For more information please see www.graffiti.ie/early-years
Adopting a partnership approach West Cork Arts Centre has been developing an Early Childhood Arts programme since 2010, which draws on existing resources and programmes to engage with and learn more about working with very young children.
West Cork Arts Centre would like to acknowledge the generous support of project funders HSE, Cork Arts + Health Programme and West Cork VEC and recognise the support of partner organisations Graffiti Theatre Company’s BEAG Programme and County Childcare Committee.
