Arts Ability

Arts Ability is an inclusive, participatory arts programme which celebrates the artistic and creative imagination of people who experience mental health problems and/or intellectual, physical or sensory disabilities.

Mission / Aims

Set within caring environments in Wexford County, Arts Ability is a person-centred initiative. The primary goal is to provide access to a diverse range of high quality arts experiences based on meaningful engagement between participant artists and professional artists.

The programme is underpinned by solid partnerships and inter-agency collaboration to ensure a sustainable infrastructure for long-term access and participation in the arts irrespective of ability or socio-economic background.

Promoting the principles of social inclusion, the programme values each participant equally, encouraging individual ownership, choice and achievement, to empower and enhance the development of the whole person.

Areas of activities

Arts Ability is a rolling flexible participative programme facilitated by a team of professional artists, creating a diverse legacy in practice. Currently this includes:

• A visual art programme at County Wexford Community Workshop (New Ross) Ltd.
• Creative writing and visual art programmes at Killagoley Training & Activation Centre, and the RT Unit, St. Senan’s Hospital, Enniscorthy
• A multidisciplinary arts programme at Wexford Residential Intellectual Disability Services, Enniscorthy
• A music exploration programme in partnership with Mental Health Services and Wexford Mental Health Association.

From the content of weekly workshops to annual plans for large-scale projects, the programme is guided by the individual preferences and needs of participants, encouraging access to a variety of skills and formats. Since 2010 alone this has included woodcarving, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, knitting, memoir, writing for radio, short stories, monologues and poetry.

Prolific workshop activity feeds an extensive programme of festivals, exhibitions, publications, launches, screenings and readings in arts and health contexts and in mainstream cultural venues.