In the Open | Faoin Spéir
County Louth’s two arts centres, Droichead and An Táin, have attracted Arts Council funding of €144,000 between them for projects that utilise public outdoor spaces for artistic endeavours.
With just 16 grants available across the country this is being seen as something of an artistic coup for the Wee County.
As we edge toward a safer landscape, particularly outdoors, it is hoped that In the Open | Faoin Spéir will bring a renewed spirit of optimism with the return of arts.
DRAWDA, a multidisciplinary Urban Art Project, a curated public arts programme, will take place in Drogheda between August 2021, and April 2022 led by Droichead Arts Centre in partnership with lead artists/curators Dee Walsh and Brian Hegarty of ‘thirtythree-45’ an art, sound and live event initiative based in Drogheda.
Also involved will be Love Drogheda BID’s (Business Improvement District Scheme), and the Louth County Council Arts Office.
DRAWDA will draw on the locality’s rich heritage, mythology and architecture with three extensive strands creating five outdoor wall murals that will form an Urban Art Trail.
The project will also be extended to schools and youth organisations over three months and a mini outdoor weekend festival is being planned which will give communities the chance to work with artists, creating their own art pieces.
This legacy programme inaugurated by Droichead Arts Centre will continue long after the murals are created, making use of public streets and walls in a fresh and exciting way!
A visual vibrancy will reinvigorate derelict public places and streets with a cascade of colour on the town of Drogheda, all the while supporting 14 artists, locally, nationally and internationally!
The mythological heritage of the town will be the inspiration and is sure to create a plethora of original artworks that exude colour and life!
North of the County An Táin Art’s Centre’s project called ‘Louth Culture Quest’ is an app based, county-wide, arts and culture treasure hunt, delivered in partnership with Louth County Council to be launched in March 2022.
Culture Quest participants will be sent on a mission through the County, visiting 20 sites of cultural and heritage significance, where a futuristic artwork has been placed.
There will be clues to be solved about the history and cultural significance of the site and treasure is collected in the form of QR codes from each artwork. Once all 20 codes have been collected, the quest has been completed.
The futuristic narrative running through the story, will be written Nicola Cassidy whose novels are deeply rooted in local history and juxtaposed with the historical and cultural significance of the sites. The app will be developed by Drogheda based Nebula Innovations.
An Táin Arts Centre’s Louth Culture Quest will be available to the public by March 2022.
For further information go to www.droichead.com and https://www.antain.ie/
