Cork Community Art Link CLG
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Mission Statement
Cork Community Art Link is a community arts organisation facilitating collaborations between artists, communities, groups and individuals. We support social integration, community well-being, and the development of healthy and proactive communities through the creation of art in places where people live, work and play. Our aims are: To provide access to the arts for all; To support existing groups and services within the community; To provide groups with opportunities to engage in the arts and contribute to the creation of culture within their city; To provide a platform for diverse groups to work together with a common goal; To influence a strong ethos of social inclusion and participation; To celebrate and build upon existing local traditions and culture; To provide a welcoming and inclusive creative space for people; To contribute to the well-being of the local community by engaging with key target and minority groups to encourage social integration and participation.
About This Cause
Cork Community Art Link works with a wide range of locality based community groups, schools, health services, youth groups, active age groups, Traveller Visibility Group, disability support services, mental health support services, education services including after school services and at risk/school leaver supports. Our work consistently targets and engages groups that are a high priority for the HSE, including older people, physical and mental disability groups and Travellers. Through our programme of arts activities we actively engage these groups/individuals in processes that support community well-being, social inclusion and community development. We work closely with project partners in the community, statutory and arts sectors to develop high-quality and socially inclusive participatory arts programmes. Working with large numbers of volunteer participants is a core area of practice developed by CCAL and on an annual basis over 250 volunteers take part in developing and implementing CCAL’s programme of arts activities. The organisation supports volunteers to learn new creative skills and to actively contribute to the cultural life of their communities. CCAL’s combined arts programme spans a range of artistic mediums including celebratory street spectacle, visual arts, performances, exhibitions, music and sound. There is a focus on sharing arts outcomes in public spaces, including libraries, streetscapes and parks, resulting in surprising and innovative partnerships and collaborations. Core areas of work include: the annual Dragon of Shandon Parade and festival; commissions for the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade in collaboration with a range of community groups and volunteers; What If… public art programme; and a World Book Day Festival programme that is devised in collaboration with Cork City Libraries. All of our programmes support participatory and community development processes. CCAL also offers advice and logistical support to community groups and organisations that seek to develop participatory projects or street spectacles. We host a variety of placements for international students who are seeking to develop skills in community engagement, arts practice, workshop development, costume and prop design, and in areas of project administration and development. The Dragon of Shandon is the focal point of Cork Community Art Link’s annual arts programme. The Dragon of Shandon Parade takes place annually on the night of October 31st and is recognised as a unique and landmark cultural event on Cork's Northside, and its extension into the city centre in 2015 markedly increased its visibility and reach throughout the city and beyond. It attracts thousands onto the streets of Cork. In 10 short years the event and its processes have grown to actively involve a wide range of city-wide youth, community and arts groups and a participatory outreach programme that spans several months. Inclusivity and diversity are the foundations of the Dragon of Shandon. The Parade is an urban street event which captures the spirit and imagination of people living in Cork and provides the opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to take an active part in a major cultural event in their city. Since its establishment in 1993, CCAL has developed and promoted participatory arts practice among a range of geographical, identity and interest based communities, support services, youth groups and schools in Cork City. While the work undertaken has been of a consistently high standard, both in terms of participatory methodologies utilised and creative outcomes realised, organisational development was halted somewhat by the absence of a permanent base. 2016 has been a landmark year for us and saw the culmination of a partnership with Cork City Council whereby CCAL became leaseholder of the historic LIDO building in Blackpool. We want this building to become a focal point for community arts practice and innovation in Cork. The Lido is a community art space that offers exciting opportunities for an inclusive, multi-generational and diverse approach to the arts. Through our annual programme CCAL will continue to lower barriers to participation in the arts and to fully integrate the arts into the lives of the communities surrounding us. Listening and dialoguing with the diverse social groups that form our communities, we engage them through their histories, cultural traditions and aspirations. Core projects such as The Dragon of Shandon become part of the community’s collective identity, building up pride and distinctiveness. We offer multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural platforms of education, skills-sharing, exploration, broadening of taste, and talent development. Ultimately our programme prioritises, but does not exclusively incorporate, people who still do not engage with the arts for lack of access or relevance. The potential provided by the LIDO, and our reputation for high quality and participatory practice, informs growing demand for consultation and collaboration from artists, arts organisations and a multitude of community groups. Given adequate funding and resources, the Dragon of Shandon has the potential to become a flagship event for the city of Cork. The biggest challenge CCAL has on a day to day basis is maintaining the quality of our programme on a very limited staff due to serious under-funding. The staff shortage and dependency on employment schemes also restricts us from further revenue producing activity that would help us to become more financially self-sustaining.