Published 05.11.2024
by Kids’ Own
by Kids’ Own
A children�s arts organisation and publishing house.
A children�s arts organisation and publishing house.
Last week, Kids’ Own teamed up with the SMILY youth group for an inspiring series of workshops led by our associate writers Mary Branley and Sarah O’Keeffe and associate artist Cúan Cusack. The young participants, all vibrant voices from the LGBTI+ community, came together to explore different art forms and decided to channel their creativity into making individual zines.
Over four engaging sessions, they developed their zines, which allowed them to express their personal stories, thoughts, and experiences. This project wasn’t just about art; it was about collaborating with young people, and witnessing the strong sense of community among them.
Excitingly, these zines will be on display in prominent community spaces over the next few weeks, giving everyone a chance to connect with the themes and creativity of the SMILY group. Be sure to look out for these exhibitions—they truly reflect the incredible voices of these young artists.
We’re thrilled to share reflections from our collaborators, Cúan and Mary, their insights capture the spirit and impact of the sessions beautifully:
“Teenagers rarely get the opportunity to have time to create art and writing that does not serve an academic purpose. Sarah, Mary, and I worked hard to foster conversation during the workshops, allowing the group to take a break from their busy schedules and focus on creativity. Creativity cannot be rushed, and stories only flow freely when one is fully present in the moment. The SMILY group were engaged in lively conversations during the workshops, covering topics from literature to Minecraft. The group created a variety of zines that reflected their interests and our expression.
It is vital to me that queer youth are listened to and taken seriously. As a teenager, I remember being dismissed by adults. This issue goes beyond using the correct pronouns; it’s about truly seeing someone for who they are and making space for expression experimentation. As a queer and trans adult, it was wonderful to be there to listen and provide space for the SMILY group’s expression. I hope to work with the group again one day.” – Cúan
“There’s always much to learn from young people and their honest and hilarious take on school, teachers, family life, friends, and literature. I’ve come away from 3 workshops with the SMILY gang with a few wonderful recommendations on movies and some very insightful critiques on literary matters, including Macbeth, his ruthless partner, the parallels to the movie Zoolander, sestinas, and the poets Elizabeth Bishop, Shakespeare, Heaney, and Yeats. These witty and creative young people were all the while delving into the creation of their books, 8-page folds, also called zines. I was also challenged to manage my usual allergic reaction to writing sestinas and try one myself, inspired by Elizabeth Bishop’s poem Sestina.
One of the participants gave me the six words that make up the repeating Petrarchan form, complicating things further. I got there in the end, and though I don’t plan on exploring sestinas further, I am left with new admiration for Elizabeth Bishop and all the participants of SMILY.” – Mary
This project is made possible through support from The Deptartment of Rural and Community Development Dormant Accounts Fund and in partnership with Youth Work Ireland North Connaught and their SMILY youth group.
Read about our last project with SMILY here