Image shown: Seven Summer Stars

Seven Summer Stars are a group of young teenagers with cystic fibrosis who have been making art and connecting creatively since March 2019 as part of Helium Arts’ pilot online art programme. The programme is led by artist Rachel Tynan with the support of An Cosán Virtual Community College. Waterford Healing Arts Trust will host a showcase of artwork from the project on Wednesday 29 May at 6pm. 

At the showcase there will be an opportunity to learn about how the young artists engaged with the project and how the online technology supported the creative process in conversation with Rachel Tynan (project artist), Shane Regan (educational technologist, An Cosán VCC) and Emma Eager (project manager, Helium Arts). This will happen over tea and cake in the comfy surroundings of the WHAT conservatory. All are welcome.

Seven Summer Stars is produced by Helium Arts in partnership with Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and Waterford Healing Arts Trust. The programme is supported by the Arts Council, the Ireland Funds, Dublin City Council, and the Health Services Staffs Credit Union.

About the project
Teenagers with cystic fibrosis face barriers when it comes to connecting and conversing with each other: due to cross-infection issues, they cannot be in the same physical space. Helium’s online art project has brought together young people living with cystic fibrosis to collaborate with artist Rachel Tynan and their peers through an art journaling process. Using digital tools and online mediated meet-ups along with access to professional artist mentorship, participants have benefitted from the development of collaborative arts practice with a community of peers and the exploration of personal stories. The project also included a virtual gallery experience connected to the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s “Freud Gaze” exhibition. Together, the group came up with the name Seven Summer Stars.

Event information
Venue:  Waterford Healing Arts Trust, University Hospital Waterford, Dunmore Road
Time: 6pm
RSVP: Emma at Helium Arts: communications@helium.ie

Helium Arts is an award-winning charity supporting the social and emotional needs of children facing long-term medical conditions through arts-based creative projects in hospital, community and public settings. To find out more about the work of Helium Arts visit helium.ie

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