With a background in professional theatre, Sarah Fitzgibbon has used Theatre and Drama techniques to create scripts and performances, to explore concepts of civil engagement, collaboration, and to create moments of escape and engagement in a wide variety of contexts since 1991.

How would you describe your role as a Creative Associate?

Using my experience as a participatory artist, my aspiration as a Creative Associate was that through creative engagement and dialogue over two years, to leave any school with a plan; a network of creative connections; artist partners and other key stakeholders in creative or cultural outlets that they could engage with. In addition, I see my role as leaving them with a legacy and the mechanisms through which the school can insure the inclusion of the child’s voice within any creative planning, including within teaching and learning. Creativity is fluid and the Creative Associate is to assist the school in creating space for the whole school community to embrace and flow with the creative impulses within it.

What has being a Creative Associate meant for your career?

While there have been a lot of initiatives to embed the arts in education since the Benson Report in 1979, this initiative was for me held the greatest prospect for actual progression for the arts in education due to the Creative Associates two-year engagement within one school. I have long held the belief that one year’s artist engagement with schools is too short a period for true creative transformation. The two year duration provided me with a unique possibility of meaningful support to a school wishing to creatively engage. Being a Creative Associate has allowed me to get a greater insight into what is deliverable and effective within schools which nurtured my creative and arts advocacy work.

What is the best piece of advice you received early on in your career?

To enter every space or encounter with curiosity and back up your laptop regularly.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to a new Creative Associate?

This initiative is particularly exciting for me as the voice of the child is central to it. Reminding those around you that you have a mandate to include those voices is transformative.

What / who has influenced your career?

I am very privileged to have Emelie FitzGibbon (founder of Graffiti Theatre Company) as my mother and mentor for many years. Her tireless commitment to arts access and provision for babies, children and young people for over forty years has always been an inspiration. She has had the greatest influence on my practices as a mentor, collaborator and sounding board and I am very appreciative of that.