When we create spaces and opportunities to listen to a broad range of diverse intelligences, perspectives and voices, our knowledge, experience and understanding of the world is enriched.
The 1916 Proclamation declared its resolve to cherish “all of the children of the nation equally and oblivious of the differences … which have divided a minority from the majority in the past”
In September and October of 2016, as Ireland commemorated the centenary, an exciting variety of exhibitions and events took place, that challenged this resolve, while bringing colour, energy, imagination and discussion to Cork City. While 2016 is a time to remember the past, it is also an opportunity to re-imagine the future and to expand our perceptions of future possibilities for a brighter, more equal society.
Cork City Council Arts office, Crawford Art Gallery and CIT Crawford College of Art and Design developed Perceptions 2016: The Art of Citizenship, building on the success of their 2013 Art of Inclusion exhibition. The work in this event was selected from worldwide submissions from artists working in supported studios – spaces offering opportunities to artists who may previously have been unable to develop their arts practice, whether from a physical lack of access to materials, lack of opportunity or because of limited expectations of them.
This exhibition also showcased outcomes of the Expanding Realities project, a European Erasmus + funded partnership. Over the past 2 years, three supported studio groups – GASP Cork, Art in Motion (AIM) Bristol and Debajo del Sombrero Madrid – have developed and exchanged approaches to engaging the creativity, and supporting the professional development of artists who have much to contribute, but face barriers in society and in the world of art.
The aim of Perceptions 2016: The Art of Citizenship was to broaden the range of voices, visions, perceptions and approaches to creativity that the public engages with in cultural venues. It aims to engage the public with valuable knowledge and perspectives that are frequently absent from the world of art.
Art of Inclusion Exhibition, 2013. Installation view, Crawford Art Gallery.
What people said about Outside In: The Art of Inclusion
Visitor’s comments, Outside In: the Art of Inclusion 2013
What a brilliant show – best in years!
Astonishing. Moving. Beautiful.
Breathtaking, challenging & humourous
Totally inspiring
I have a smile on my face and a tear in my eye
One of the most thought provoking and interesting exhibitions I have seen in a long time
…I had to come back for a second look
Stunning: I am blown away