Trading Places/CR.E.A.T.E. seeks to re-unite the communities of Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Banbridge, Lisburn, and Belfast through an exciting exploration of their common bond. Once closely connected through the linen industry these communities will re-negotiate ideas of place, culture and identity in the visual arts and new technologies with young people.

See: Linenireland.org

Through the introduction of contemporary arts practices, classrooms were transformed into studios. Artists, children and teachers were continually challenged to interrogate their ideas, negotiate the creation of meaning, and strive for authentic collaboration. Teachers witnessed their students working with great motivation and inspiration as they explored questions about their own identity, the world and their place in it.

This uniquely flexible project brought each artist’s working process to the core of his or her collaboration. At this core, the boundaries were blurred between their studio work and their collaborations in the classroom. For many artists this was a trans-formative experience. You can see the resulting work at the exhibitions, and track the transformation online through artists’ journals.