DELVE: Discover, Explore, Learn, Visualise and Engage – 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.
We are delighted to bring DELVE back to Spraoi Festival, Waterford with this year’s selected artists, Valerie Bryce and Claire McKervey!
Valerie and Claire will join the ISACS team attending the Festival from August 4th to 6th 2023.
Their programme of activities will include the ISACS Pro Programme and invaluable opportunities to be introduced to national and international artists, producers and festival programmers. Full details on the Spraoi Festival programme can be found here→
About Valerie Bryce
Valerie is a writer, event manager, arts project coordinator and facilitator from Co. Donegal.
As the former Creative Associate/Public Engagement Officer with the Earagail Arts Festival and a qualified youth and community worker, Valerie is most excited by arts practice which strives to reach under-represented communities and inspires new ways of seeing and being in the world.
With an interest in research, health and wellbeing, strategic planning and community arts, Valerie recently designed ‘Creating Resilience (Donegal)’ which offers a variety of arts mediums delivered with a mindfulness-based approach to youth and community groups.
With a rich background in event management spanning 25+ years, Valerie was recently awarded a place on the Future Producers programme and is looking forward to furthering her production experience regionally and nationally.
About Claire McKervey
Claire began training independently with Circusful in Belfast Northern Ireland, alongside attending adult aerial and circus classes in late 2019. Claire previously spent a year and a half training and teacher training at The School of Larks in Gloucestershire, England.
In May 2022 and 2023 Claire performed in the Circusful and Fresh Fools cabaret as part of the Festival of Fools and began working walkabout gigs as a juggler and hula hooper. Other performing highlights include Pitch’d Circus Festival in Cork 2022 and Soup and Circus Cabaret 2023 in The Vault Artist Studios in Belfast.
Throughout 2022 Claire attended various intensive training workshops and residencies to further their aerial and acrobatic skills. Claire is continuing the development of their work through mentoring with various artists.
Claire currently teaches circus classes through Circusful to a variety of groups of young people around Northern Ireland and works as a performer for both walkabout gigs and cabarets.