Peep into the Puppet Portal Project on www.practice.ie http://practice.ie/project/puppet-portal-project-hospital, where Helium's artist in residence team is documenting their process. We invite you to read the artists' blogs, view video and photos and post a comment.

The Puppet Portal Project is a puppetry, storytelling and technology project promoting creative communication between children across four hospital communities. It is produced by Helium in partnership with the Centre for Health and Informatics, TCD in collaboration with Kids' Own Publishing.'

Artist Ann Henderson working with children in a virtual residency are exploring growing and potatoes in particular on their journey together. they are having their open day in Ballydown Primary School, Co. Down.

Ruby Wallis and children from Rathcabin school in North Tipperary are having their exhibition on the 28th May.

The children in St.Edwards National School and artist Kate Wilson are getting their work together for their performance.

Artist Julie Forrester and children from Northside Learning Hub won a Fresh Films "most innovative" award for The Sodacakevlle Wedding. see here to hear about the project to see one scene

http://practice.ie/video/witch-scene

Artist Triona Ryan and children from S.N. Muire Gan Smal won a fresh film award for moving maps. the film will also be part of Jugendmedienfestival (Youthmediafestival) in Berlin/Germany in May. This project was funded by Funded by The Arts Council Local Partnership Scheme, and North Tipperary Arts Office. see here for more about the project

http://journal.kidsown.ie/crossbridge

Well done to everyone involved!!

Kids' Own is working on a new book project, in association with Roscommon VEC and Roscommon County Library.

Writer Mary Branley and Artist Niamh O'Connor are working together with parents and children in Elphin and Loughglynn to explore the theme of 'change' as a starting point for 'Learning Together'.

The creative work and ideas of the two groups will be brought together into one publication. The project is running from March - May 2009, with launch of the publication in the autumn. To view project journals from the participants go to
http://journal.kidsown.ie/learningtogether

The Puppet Portal Project is a collaboration between Kids' Own and Helium - Performing Arts in Health in partnership with the Centre for Health and Informatics, Trinity College.

Kids’ Own role within this programme is one of project management. Our role is to support the artists and to share our model of best practice with artists working with children

The Puppet Portal Project aims to promote a sense of community and communication through a combined creativity and technological intervention across five hospitals. Four highly skilled artists will establish an active and creative hub within each hospital community, facilitating a performing arts exchange between the hospitals. Puppetry, storytelling and technology will be used to create live, interactive, contemporary puppetry performances via the hospital web portal.

Further afield, is the continuation of a virtual artist in residency programme with Artist, Ann Henderson Space and Place. We are excited that we can extend this programme to bring on a new artist, Ann Donnelly and a new school. This programme continues are partnership with SELB, CYP, and C2K.

Learning together is a family literacy programme working with familes in Elphin and Loughlynn in County Roscommon in partnership with Roscommon VEC and Roscommon Library service.

Sligo Art Gallery and Kids' Own Publishing Partnership
present...

About The Exhibition

In January 2009 Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership are holding a retrospective exhibition at the Sligo Art Gallery Insight. The exhibition has been commissioned by Sligo Art Gallery with Sligo Local Authorities’ Arts Service as part of the Primary Colours Arts & Education Programme. The exhibition is curated by Sarah Searson, a cultural consultant and curator. Insight celebrates twelve years of collaborative work by artists and young people and educations working together through technology-developed projects managed by Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership.

About The Event

Insight Open, a forum for discussion, coincides which this exhibition. Both the exhibition and talks are an exploration into current practice and creativity between children, artists, educators and technology. Insight Open is a forum by which we can exchange ideas and think together about artists' practice with young people with an emphasis on how creativity can be mediated through technology.

For who

This event has been developed for professionals, such as artists, educators, third-level lecturers and students interested in gaining insight about creatively engaging children and technology. It gives context to the concepts, methodologies and development of this work practice.

Objectives

Insight Open celebrates, explores and provides a platform for discussion of innovative and current practices by focusing on a number of models of interesting practice and workshops.
Insight Open will celebrate and highlight technology's role as a tool for creativity, collaboration and exchange.

Format

The format for the day will comprise of three presentations and three round table discussions. The discussions will focus on particular areas for consideration e.g. Technology and Rural, Private to Public and Seeing beyond the technology.

About Kids’ Own

Kids’ Own provide and support high quality authentic engagement between artists and children. Over the past 12 years we have supported a number of school based residencies that have explored creative engagement between artists and children using technology. This work has developed new opportunities for children to engage with artists and for artists to develop new ways of working with children. Looking forward Kids’ Own are keen to develop this work further by maximising the use of online technologies to offer further opportunities for exchange and learning between artists and children, between artists, between educators not only as a tool for communication but also as a vehicle for creating new work and professional development. We are keen to explore the social, ethical, and environmental impact, and benefits of this type of work

Timetable :

2.00 - 2.30 Opening address
2.30 - 3.00 Artists presentations
3.00 - 4.00 Roundtable Discussions

1. Technology and the rural, creative approaches to using technology as tool for remote communication, exploring the professional opportunities of collaboration for people in rural areas.

2. From Private to Public, exploring the virtual studio and blogging, questioning how much do you share?

3. Seeing beyond the technology. Using technology as a medium for communication and creation.

4.00– 4.30 Chaired discussion

Coffee

4.45 Opening of Exhibition by Martin Drury

Booking:
To book contact Orla Kenny at:
Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership
Carrigeens, Ballinful, Co.Sligo
T: 071 91 24945
E: info@kidsown.ie
http://kidsown.ie/index.php
Deadline Friday 9th January 2009

The event will take place at Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo,
Date: Saturday January 17th
Time: 2.00 pm to 4.30pm
Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment
Cost for this non-profit event has been kept deliberately low to encourage wide participation and with the assistance of Sligo County Council Arts Grant.

Registration Fee €10

This discussion forum has received funding from Sligo County Council’s Arts Grants Scheme 2008.

Kids' Own received a media award for their project and publication, This is the Place I like best (and i am not just sayin' that!) this publication is a collection of stories, poems, jokes and illustrations by children from all over Ireland.

This groundbreaking children's book, written and illustrated by 320 children from across Ireland, provides a unique glimpse into the lives, aspirations and experiences of Ireland’s children. This book is an enchanting collection of thoughts, comments, poems, jokes and illustrations reflecting Ireland’s new regional, cultural and religious diversity.

This project was a partnership between Kids' Own, Mayo County Library Service, Donegal Library Service, Cork County Library Service and a research partner in The Arts Council Touring Experiment.

The programme took place in October 2007 as part of the Children's Book Festival. The book was launched in each location in March 2008.

You can purchase the book directly from us, or from good book shops.

The programme was part of The Arts Council Touring Experiment.

Cant Turn Back - A book all about Travellers by children in Mohill, County Leitrim.

Smile - Giggles, gags and giddy tales from children in County Roscommon This publication was created in partnership with Roscommon County Library Services.

Do. Think. Feel. - Stories by teenagers in North Tipperary, this programme was supported by The Arts Office, North Tipperary County Council and Tipperary Libraries.

1. 5 artists are working in four schools residencies in County Sligo.

The artists include: Christin Mackey, Cathal Roche and Kate Wilson, Sinead Aldridge and Yvonne Cullivan.

The artists have weekly peer support through an online mentor, artist Ann Henderson.

Kids' Own are also working with Sligo Institute of Technology on the programme. Students from 4th Year have being offered a professional developmnet opportunity to shadow the artists during their residencies.

Each week the artists, teachers and children keep an online diary here
http://journal.kidsown.ie/

The Nature of Sligo will place artists as catalysts for creativity in schools in county Sligo. The residencies will provide a platform for artists to develop their own practice working with children, through peer mentoring and support within the established structure and expertise of a Kids’ Own lead programme.

Interpretation of the theme will be particular to each artist-school partnership through discussion and ongoing collaboration. The aim of these partnerships will be to develop new work, with a focus on technology not only as a tool for communication but also as a medium for creating work.

The residencies will evolve over one school year from September 2008 to June 2009 and will involve thirty-two residency days in total, divided over two eight week blocks, to include contact, process and studio time. There will also be a further seven creative exchange and professional development days and five ICT training evenings.

2. Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership in association with Galway and North Tipperary Arts Offices have placed 2 visual artists in two linked residencies.

The artists include: Ruby Wallis and Triona Ryan

Funded by The Arts Council Local Partnership Scheme, Across the Border/Bridging the Gap cross-border initiative placed two artists as catalysts for creativity in schools in South East Galway and North West Tipperary. The selected schools are over the border from one another. The residencies will provide a platform for artists to develop their own practice working with children, through peer mentoring and support within the established structure and expertise of a Kids’ Own led programme.

The theme for each residency will be devised through discussion between the schools and the artists. The aim of these partnerships will be to develop new work, with a focus on technology not only as a tool for communication but also as a medium for creating work.

The residencies will evolve over one school year from September 2008 to June 2009 and will involve forty-eight residency days in total. Divided over two eight week blocks, these days will include; one contact day, one process day and one day dedicated to the artists’ own practice. There will be a further four creative exchange / professional development days involved.

3. Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership in partnership with the Northside learning Hub have developed a new residency with artist Julie Forrester and young people in Limerick.

Visit Julies Blog here
http://practice.ie/project/kileely-stories

During November Kids' Own will hold information mornings about Practice.ie to artists in Kildare, Louth, Cork, Wexford, Limerick and Clare.
We are also planning our next professional development day for artists working with Children and young people in Partnership with Cork County Arts Office. We will have 25 places available if you are interested in attending please contact us for more information.

Practice.ie is an on-line collaborative research space reporting on artists' practice with children and young people currently in development by Kids' Own, in partnership with Visual Artists Ireland. The aim of this research is:

To validate artists’ practice working with children/young people

To share approaches and practice

To enhance artists practice working with children/young people

Practice.ie is developing professional opportunities for artists who work with children and young people. Our next meeting will take place on October 2nd at the Visual Artists Ireland offices in Dublin. Join us then or register on-line to share your practice and participate in this research.

http://www.practice.ie/artistmeeting

or contact us:
T: +353 (0) 71 9124945
E: info@kidsown.ie