Event
In 2021, The Creative Well and “This Must Be the Place” will celebrate 10 years of arts and health in Kildare. This January, a nearly month-long event gathering The Well, its participants and its work since its inception is taking place in the McKenna Gallery, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, to create a celebratory publication for the 10-year anniversary.
Background
The Creative Well visual arts programme aims to build and support wellbeing and rich life experiences by encouraging adults to engage with their creativity through visual art. The programme is designed for people with all levels of abilities and life experiences, providing opportunities for everyone from complete beginners, to practicing artists and all in between. The Creative Well began in 2011 with a series of adult art workshops to support people accessing mental health services and to engage the general public in creativity within their communities. In 2016, The Creative Well partnered with Riverbank Arts Centre and since then it has grown to include an Adult Open Studio, Artist Lecture Series, Day Long Workshops, Art Seminars, Incubation Spaces, Exhibition Opportunities and Curatorial Programmes.
The next step in the programme is the making of an archive and pausing to reflect. This will be a year for gathering stories & testimonials, a year for reflection on what was done and thinking about what there is still to do, to listen to all who have been on this creative journey and to talk to past and potential stakeholders about how best to continue it.
Event information
The Archive opened on 10 January at the McKenna Gallery Riverbank and will continue until 5 February 2020.
Artists Emma Finucane and Eleanor Philips are creating a space for the work of all The Creative Well’s participants to be collected and documented. This is open to all members both past, present and potential members in the future of The Creative Well. Artists will be there to archive your work every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday throughout the month of January with a celebratory closing event on 1 February 2020.
Members of the public are welcome to come and view this archive process, learn about the project’s history and the artists involved.
Stay tuned for details of events happening as part of The Creative Well installation in the McKenna Gallery this January and further gatherings throughout 2020. Follow the programme at www.facebook.com/kildareartsservice
The Creative Well Archive Project 2020-2021 is taking place as part of First Fortnight in partnership with Riverbank Arts Centre and celebrates Kildare County Council’s visual arts, health and wellbeing programme.
