Exhibition showcasing the creativity of neurodivergent artists opens in Cork 

An inclusive art exhibition gets underway at the West End Art Studio in Mallow this weekend.

Organised by Connections Arts Centre, an award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise based in Dublin, the Connecting Artists’ Collective showcase will celebrate the creativity and talent of 17 neurodivergent artists, and artists with intellectual disabilities from around the country, including four Cork artists.

Connections Arts Centre is the business name of the organisation. It was founded by its CEO Miriam Spollen who “struggled at school,” says project manager, Lis Lien.

Miriam is dyslexic and has ADHD. When she went to college, “she found out that she is an artist when she got to be creative. While school was really hard for her, Miriam found that once creativity was brought into the mix, a lot of things opened up.”

That is what motivated Miriam to create opportunities for the two cohorts.

As Lis explains, covid happened when Miriam was developing her plans for the Connections Arts Centre.

“The first programme she created was the Connecting Arts Programme. That came out of a need for people to connect online. Miriam partnered with services such as the disability service and created online classes.”

The Connecting Arts Programme is an annual programme.

“We have an open call for artists from across the country out of which we select 10 artists. They participate in a 10-week online programme.

“They are partnered with a mentor and they create art works that are exhibited in a final exhibition.

“For the last three years, and this year as well, it is hosted at the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons Ireland) in Dublin. This year, it takes place from July 16-19.”

After the programme, the artists wanted to stay connected as they enjoyed the community aspect of it and meeting artists from around the country.

That’s how the Connecting Artists’ Collective came into being. The collective meets once a month, online, for workshops doing different kinds of art with different artists.

“We them with exhibition opportunities, as well as talks and demonstrations. The collective has a WhatsApp group.

“There are 27 artists in the collective, four of whom are also mentors. Every year, as part of the open call, we ask for volunteer mentors to the artists individually over the 10 weeks. The mentors the artists in creating their artwork and preparing for the exhibition.”

Some of the mentors continue to the artists after the 10 weeks.

The collective has “multiple exhibitions throughout the year. As well as the one coming up in Mallow, there is currently one in the Ballyroan Library in Tallaght.

“People come to us. Maybe they want to showcase an artist from their area. We have just finished an exhibition in Kildare.”

There is also an annual exhibition at the RHA (Royal Hibernian Academy), which recently took place. It’s part of the RHA’s spring collection. Last year was the first time a group of artists with intellectual disabilities and from the neurodivergent community all exhibited together in the one show there.

The Connecting Artists’ Programme has an open call annually.

“Normally, we have 60 to 80 applicants and from that, we look at eligibility and accessibility.

“A lot of it is based on the artwork. It’s important that (the applicants) are interested in developing themselves as artists, as well as creating original artwork.

“We ask them to submit five images of original artworks with their applications. They can do paintings or collages. We don’t take photography or sculpture right now.

“Every artist is different. Some will paint portraits, some will do abstract work or landscapes. Some of the artists will be in full-time day services. Some will be in independent living, some will have jobs or will be studying.”

At the West End Art Studio, some of the art works will be for sale. It will be the fruit of the participants’ labour. The collective do not receive art classes in the traditional sense.

“It’s more about giving the artists opportunities to learn techniques and styles and for them to build a community together.

“The collective is very much artist-led. In their calls and group chats, they say what they’re interested in doing. It’s meant to be confidence-building.

When the artists are in exhibitions, we ask them to come to the opening night and we might ask them to speak at it, if they’re looking for opportunities as artists to do a talk or a demonstration.

“Many of them wouldn’t have had that chance before. It’s about growing their confidence and putting themselves out there to talk about their work, moving themselves forward professionally.”

At the Mallow exhibition, exhibiting artists include Amy Begley (Newmarket), Mathew Sexton (Cork), Sarah McNulty (Clonakilty) and Jennifer Humphreys (Blackrock.)

Connections Arts Centre launched an impact report this year for an innovative community education programme. It partners those with disabilities with TY (Transition Year) students who act as volunteer mentors.

This in-person programme with different modules takes place over five weeks, once a week. It’s led by creativity, using technology. It’s all about empowerment through creativity.

The Connections Artists Collective exhibition at the West End Art Studio in Mallow opens today, May 16 at 6pm where WoW! columnist Julie Helen will speak.

It continues this Saturday and Sunday, and next weekend from 11am to 5pm each day.