Over the August Bank Holiday we were delighted to bring our DELVE artistsMartin Shannon and Niamh Lawlor to the Spraoi International Street Arts Festival.
The DELVE (Discover, Explore, Learn, Visualise and Engage) programme – aims to support artists to experience and be inspired by art through a range of festivals and programmes throughout Ireland. We go, we see, we watch, we listen, we learn, we connect with art and art makers and we get inspired.
Here’s what Martin and Niamh said about their experience:
I am delighted to share just how much we truly enjoyed our time at the Spraoi Festival this past weekend. It was an absolute delight to meet so many like-minded makers, artists, and funders. One of the standout moments for me was the tour of Spraoi HQ. As an institution, it was incredibly impressive, but what really blew me away was the overwhelming support and warmth we felt from our community.
The entire festival left a lasting impression on me, and it has sparked so many ideas on how we can enhance our own festival and practices. The performances, workshops, and interactions provided such a rich tapestry of creativity and inspiration. I found myself constantly jotting down notes and brainstorming ways we could integrate some of these fantastic elements into our own events.
Additionally, the conversations we had were incredibly valuable. Sharing insights and experiences with others who are equally passionate about the arts was not only enlightening but also reaffirming. It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do and the importance of fostering a strong, supportive community.
I am incredibly grateful for the experience and the inspiration it has provided. Looking forward to our continued collaboration and many more exciting events in the future.
–Martin
I was delighted to go to Waterford’s Spraoi this year, supported by Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network. In June, I had returned to outdoor work, for the first time in a couple of decades, with a new promenade site specific piece Joy! Now, I was keen to refresh myself, after such a challenging undertaking, in inspiring conversations with other artists, and to research Joy!’s adaptation to other opportunities by seeing high quality work in street contexts. I was also keen to meet producers and programmers who might help create them.The jury is still out on the latter, but my primary intentions were richly fulfilled.
For 3 days I had the chance to gorge myself on a broad variety of work programmed by Waterford’s Spraoi festival as part of Delve. About 17 shows in just 3 days! And there was plenty more I failed to catch. The work seemed to be of particularly high quality this year and served to inspire and delight me so that I feel now my creative batteries are completely recharged. I also had many promising and thought provoking discussions with producers, programmers and artists, both well known colleagues I was glad to reconnect with and new faces. I enjoyed all the networking opportunities too, including seeing work alongside other artists, dancing on the streets and generally having a ball. It was great to see the variety of ways acts interact with their audiences and streetscapes, how they choose to enter and exit in these outdoor contexts and how the audience respond.
Highlights for me included France’s Tête des Mules’ Parasite Circus , Catalonia’s Schvarzstein and Sirvyte’s Arrived, Irish and Catalan Maletan company’s Claudette, Pitched Productions from Ireland’s Now and Then , England’s Gorilla Circus’ RPM , Catalonian Eléctrico 28’s The Frame and international, Irish based company Cicada Circus’ A Stroll on our Shoulders. Walkabout highlights included Ireland’s Seaweed Girl and Baby Gareth & The Norbert Grannies from Wales, while a couple of favourite music acts were Always Drinking Marching Band from Catalonia and the Irish Barceló Brothers.
Thank-you sincerely ISACS for sponsoring and making possible my immersion in this excellent festival. Thank-you Spraoi and their sponsors including the Arts Council for inspiring me to bounce back to the coalface of creating work with shining eyes and a bursting heart.
-Niamh
