The Collective Producers Project is designed to encourage young people aged 14-19 years to engage with the arts so that they can develop a creative voice, be part of decision-making, a space for creative discovery, learn to collaborate, and form deeper connections within their place and communities.
This project is important as it proposes to provide a deeper, firmer opportunity for a core group of young people at secondary level and for groups/individuals participating in non-formal education to connect with The Dock’s educational and visual arts programme and form a deeper connection with the wider community while working with an artist.
The young people that make up Collective Producers are from diverse communities within Leitrim and the surrounding counties and Breffni Youth HUB
This project was funded by the Creative Ireland, Open Call through Leitrim County Council and The National Youth Council of Ireland, STEAM small equipment grant.
Collective Avatars
The participants of The Dock’s youth group, Collective Producers, examine art and culture from different eras and places in the world, exploring how human identity has been merged with elements of nature, society, culture, and technological advancement.
The teenagers created large-scale sculptural avatars using card, paper, wood, LEDs, conduction tape and paint. In order to construct these avatars, the group must understand and use basic principles of engineering, physics, and maths in an applied manner.
The avatars are a means for these young people to explore their identities and will bring together diverse influences from popular culture, folklore, and mythology. From the centaurs and hydra of classical mythology to the robotic human in Fritz Lang's Metropolis to creatures from Celtic mythology such as the Puca, the group will envision new identities that exist outside of reality, strengthening both their own identities and their group identity.
At the end of each workshop, a reflective time of discussion and observation of what was achieved is given. This allows the young people to voice any changes, opinions, and future ideas. Also, a visual diary is given to each young person for their own personal reflection.
The artwork created during the project will be on display in The Dock in January to early February 2023
If you are interested in joining the Collectives Producers at The Dock email Laura Mahon, Visual Arts & Education Manager: lmahon@leitrimcoco.ie
