The Surviving or Thriving? initiative has now concluded. Information about the series is included below. You can listen to audio recordings of all panel discussions and visit the Surviving Or Thriving? online resource page at waterfordhealingarts.com

Surviving or Thriving? is six-part online series of events that aims to support the wellbeing of arts professionals in Ireland, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surviving or Thriving? hasbeen developed by Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) in partnership with the Arts Council. The series aims to strengthen attendees’ resilience, restore their confidence to move forward in their professional lives, and to promote connectedness across the arts sector. It was produced by WHAT in association with key arts organisations working across a number of artforms and disciplines in Ireland.

This reflective and stimulating programme will comprise of artform specific panel discussions chaired by psychologist and broadcaster Maureen Gaffney, follow up self-care artist-led workshops and a suite of online wellbeing resources. Panel discussions will also be made available as podcasts.

Each element will seek to inspire and support listeners and viewers and participants, while also acknowledging current challenges and realities for arts professionals at this time in Ireland.

Event Details

Please find full details of events, panelists and workshop facilitators below:

Monday 15 March
Panel Exchange 1: Literature
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers writer Anne Enright, writer Helena Close and poet Stephen Sexton.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Tuesday 16 March
Workshop 1: Literature
Slowing Down as a Source of Creativity, facilitated by poet Lani O’Hanlon.
NB: This event is fully booked

Thursday 18 March, 10.30am
Panel Exchange 2: Visual Art
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers artist Brian Kielt, artist Miriam O’Connor and artist and educator Austin Ivers.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Friday 19 March, 10.30am
Workshop 2: Visual Art
Sustaining the Self, facilitated by artist Marie Brett.
NB: This event is fully booked

Monday 22 March, 10.30am
Panel Exchange 3: Collaborative Arts
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers visual artist Deirdre O’Mahony, choreographer/curator Ruairí Ó Donnabháin and dance artist Tobi Balogun.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Tuesday 23 March, 10.30am
Workshop 3: Collaborative Arts
Building a Culture of Care: Anti-burnout practices for socially engaged artists, facilitated by trainer, researcher and activist Dr Krini Kafiris and artist Kate O’Shea.
NB: This event is fully booked

Thursday 25 March, 10.30am:
Panel Exchange 4: Dance
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers choreographer and dance artist Fearghus Ó Conchúir, choreographer and dance artist Catherine Young and choreographer David Bolger.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Friday 26 March, 10.30am:
Workshop 4: Dance
Embracing your dance practice and knowledge to support your wellbeing, facilitated by Dr Jenny Elliott, dance artist, choreographer, Artistic Director and CEO, Arts Care, a leading arts and health organisation in Northern Ireland.

Monday 29 March, 10.30am:
Panel Exchange 5: Music
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers songwriter and performer Eleanor McEvoy, composer Jennifer Walshe and Tony Sheehan, Director, Triskel Arts Centre, Cork.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Tuesday 30 March, 10.30am:
Workshop 5: Music
Nurturing the Creative Mindset: Time and tools to support resilience and forward thinking, facilitated by Grainne Hope, musician, Director of Kids Classics and Atlantic Fellow Global Brain Health Institute at TCD.

Thursday 01 April, 10.30am:
Panel Exchange 6: Theatre
Chaired by Dr Maureen Gaffney, with guest speakers theatre maker Louise Lowe, actor and director Aaron Monaghan and costume designer Catherine Fay.
Tickets at eventbrite.ie

Thursday 01 April, 12.30pm*
Workshop 6: Theatre
Working in the Arts: How to live on the edge of chaos, facilitated by Chartered Psychologist and musician Louize Carroll.
*Note: Different time for this workshop

WHAT worked with key associate partners including Music Network, Visual Artists Ireland, Theatre Forum, Words Ireland, Create, Age and Opportunity, Minding Creative Minds  and  Dance Limerick  in order to devise panels.

How to Book

There is no cost for events. Panel Exchange discussions must be booked through the Eventbrite links above.
Workshop places must be booked directly with WHAT, more information though the links above.

Background to the initiative

Surviving or Thriving? was initiated by the Arts Council in response to the cessation of arts activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had a profound professional and personal impact on artists and arts workers, and major structural impacts for arts organisations.

Artists and arts workers from across the arts sector in Ireland provided a myriad of real-life examples of the effect the pandemic has had on their wellbeing to the Arts Council for its report Survive Adapt Renew. Among its recommendations the report included commitments to building resilience, inclusion and sustainability in the sector as it faces into the future.

Speaking about Surviving Or Thriving? Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said, “These past 12 months have been extraordinarily difficult for people across the arts landscape.  Alongside their own cares and concerns for family and friends, they have been dealing with the shocking cessation of activity and the resulting loss of income. We continue to support individuals and organisations through various schemes and initiatives, and we hope that this new programme with WHAT will provide further vital support to this brilliant profession”.  

Claire Meaney, Director of Waterford Healing Arts Trust, added, “Waterford Healing Arts Trust is very pleased to be working with the Arts Council on this important initiative to support the wellbeing of arts professionals in Ireland.  The overwhelmingly positive responses we have received over the course of planning Surviving or Thriving? indicate the need that exists for this type of support.  We are extremely grateful to all of the associate organisations who have so generously worked closely with us to present a strong programme which participants can engage with at different levels and which, we hope, will not only lift spirits but will nourish and encourage artists and arts workers to restore their confidence, foster their resilience and fall in love with their creativity all over again.”