Supporting Artists in Arts Participation
Under the Arts Council's strategy to increase public engagement and participation with the arts, a number of schemes and initiatives were developed for those working specifically in the area of arts participation. Two of those initiatives are the Visual
Artists in Prisons Scheme and the Writer in Prisons Scheme. The schemes are managed jointly by the Irish Prison Service (through its Education Department) and the Arts Council.
The Visual Artists in Prisons Scheme
Through this scheme the Arts Council offers opportunities to visual artists to work with groups of students and their art teachers in Irish prisons.
The artists carry out a series of workshops with interested students. Workshops in the past have included sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, mosaics and other visual media.
Initially the teacher and artist discuss the type of workshops that are required and when the aims and objectives are clarified and dates agreed, the artist, the art teacher and students all work together.
The biannual exhibition, which took place at Rua Red in 2024, showcased artwork done by prisoners in workshops. Further information here.
The Writers in Prisons Scheme
The scheme provides selected writers the opportunity to work with groups of students in Irish prisons. The teachers or librarians from any of the prisons in the Republic of Ireland invite selected writers to visit to carry out a reading, facilitate a
workshop or a series of workshops with the relevant students. The workshops in the past have included literature, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting.
Initially the teacher and/or librarian and artist discuss the reading or type of workshops that are required and when the aims and objectives are clarified and dates agreed, the writer carries out the work with the students.
The Arts Council and Irish Prison Service are reviewing the current panel list. No more artists will be appointed to the panel until the review is complete.