Laois school selected for special National Gallery art project

A Laois school has been lucky enough to be selected for a  National Gallery of Ireland outreach project.

The Your Gallery at School programme is offered to just a dozen schools around Ireland.

The National Gallery of Ireland has said it is delighted to announce the return of Your Gallery at School 2022-23. 

St Fintan’s Boys NS in Mountrath is among those chosen to take part in an exciting series of art workshops - designed specifically for children who may not have access to the Gallery due to socio-economic, gender or geographic barriers. 

The school principal is Edel Parkinson.

"We are delighted to be chosen to take part in Your Gallery at School 22-23. This is an exciting opportunity for the boys to work with a professional artist and gain insight into the many possibilities associated with creativity. We look forward to getting started," she said.

Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, the Gallery will work with twelve schools to create a series of tailored activities, appropriate for the students’ ages and school levels. With a focus on learning through and about art, wellbeing and creative careers, Your Gallery at School comprises individual practical workshops, sensory sessions, talks and Q&As for selected schools.

The programme includes Learning through and about art - a practical workshop inspired by the national collection; Wellbeing - a sensory session focusing on slow looking and mindfulness; and Creative Careers -  a talk and Q&A with Gallery staff and an established artist, enabling students to learn about a variety of arts careers.

The Gallery says it is committed to breaking down barriers for people who may have difficulty accessing culture and art in Ireland.

Three exclusive online workshops will also run for all schools that applied to take part in Your Gallery at School – an Earth Explorers practical workshop for primary schools, a Creative Careers day for students, and a Continuing Professional Development workshop for teachers.

Since its pilot in 2021, Your Gallery at School has thrived. This year, the Gallery received almost 400 applications from schools nationwide, a 287% increase on 2021 applications.  

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Peter Barrett is Chief Executive Officer of aircraft leasing company SMBC Aviation Capital, the sponsors.

“SMBC Aviation Capital is delighted to see Your Gallery at School go from strength to strength. This innovative initiative brings art directly into the lives of children who may not usually be able to engage with the Gallery. It is fantastic to see the impact of this programme, which can be seen in the growing number of applications year on year, and we are immensely proud to support it.”

The other eleven schools are: 

Ballagh National School, Roscommon, Scoil Naomh Eoin, Meath, Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, Waterford, Scoil Naomh Pádraig, Oram, Monaghan, St Declan’s College, Dublin 7, Davitt College, Mayo, Catherine McAuley School, Limerick, St. Brogan's College, Cork, St. Michael's NS, Cavan, Tyndall College, Carlow and Holy Child BNS, Dublin 9.