Sanctuary
Second Level Students
North Stairwell
16 January to 25 April 2022

Sanctuary is an exhibition of work by second year students of Mount St. Michael Secondary School, Rosscarbery and First Year students in Skibbereen Community School. An online zoom workshop was facilitated by Public Engagement Artist Kate McElroy  on phone photography. Kate shared with the students work by Uillinn Artists including Tommy Weir, Pascal Ungerer and her own photography practice as well as that of other contemporary photographers such as Wolfgang Tillmans. Students were then encouraged to explore the theme of Sanctuary responding to it through their own unique lens.

Below the Surface
Primary School Students
South Stairwell and Link Galleries
29 January to 12 March 2022

Below the Surface is a creative project designed by Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre for Primary school students. This year’s participating schools are: 4th, 5th and 6th class, Gaelscoil Dr. Uí Shúilleabháin, junior infants – 6th class, Kilcoe NS, Skibbereen and 5th class, Our Lady of Mercy NS, Bantry.

The students initially toured the painting exhibition ‘Cnuasach’ by Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh led by Public Engagement Artist Kate McElroy in October 2021 followed by a workshop exploring painting techniques. The exhibition and workshop highlighted the various expressive qualities of painting techniques.

Back in the classroom the students were visited by Kate and encouraged to think of a landscape or place that they would like to explore further. They were tasked with the idea of exploring place through paint infusing it with ideas or feelings about the place. The student’s works are a mixture of abstract, imaginary, and real-life based places explored expressively through paint.

WCAC acknowledges the financial support of Arts Council Ireland and Cork County Council in making these exhibitions possible.