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Hands Across the Border Art Project
Tyrone-Monaghan Groups unveil in Community Art Display to show their commitment to Peace in Blackwater Regional Partnership.
If you were driving from Aughnacloy to Emyvale on Friday 15th April, you may have noticed a gathering of people at the Clara Picnic Area.
The Blackwater Regional Partnership had a gathering to unveil their Cross Border Community Art Piece as part of their element of the ‘Across the Border Project’. The project was funded by the European Union’s PEACE III Cross-border Programme, through the South West Cluster and Monaghan PEACE III Partnership.
The aims of the programme were specific in engaging people with disabilities in the peace process through the use of art. There were a series of workshops in each council area to develop and produce a display on their image of the border, the people of the border and the importance of peace and making art accessible to people that have a disability, may it be old or young, with physical, mental or learning disabilities etc.
The Artists commissioned to deliver the piece were Gwen Stevenson and Brenda McGinn who ensured that artistic quality was of a high standard and that all participants integrated with their counterparts in an attempt to breakdown barriers between various groups that exist in each area.
The Art piece is a collaborative piece of work with each participant contributing by embossing their image of what the border means to the on clay tiles. The tiles were then fired and glazed and were placed in a montage and it was framed by the handprints of each participant. The montage was then framed in weather-proof canopy and placed in the peaceful surrounds of Clara Picnic Area, Emyvale Co Monaghan.
The programme has provided an opportunity for participants to learn a variety of new skills and with the aim developing a piece of art/sculpture to leave a lasting legacy. This programme has been artist-lead, where working on initiatives and developing an inclusive programme together with partner organisations in the project and participants was vital.
There were three local groups involved in the programme; Errigal Truagh Special Needs, Parkanuar Training College and Willowbank Community Resource Centre. The Project Officer was Paula Kelly, Blackwater Regional Partnership.
To find out more about activities the Partnership is currently running please contact the Partnership Offices on 3756 9000 or visit www.blackwaterregion.com
