As part of the bursary, I joined 12 other Next Generation artists at a week-long residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig in County Monaghan.
A residential workplace for artists, the centre was founded by the visionary theatre maker William Tyrone Guthrie who, with the advice and encouragement of his family, bequeathed his entire estate and family home to the State with the proviso that it would be used for the benefit of artists.
The bursary recipients came from a wide variety of artistic practices: visual art, music, opera, dance, traditional arts, film, circus, architecture, literature. The week was a mix of working solo on our own projects, sharing work, and a lively and invigorating mix of conversation and debate.
It is difficult to describe how inspiring our time together was. Realising the similarity of experience on our separate journeys – the, highs, lows, costs, crises, risks and rewards – was a deeply galvanising experience.
The working relationships and friendships formed in this week are not something I foresaw, but have become a hugely important part of the year gone by.
Photos by Barry Cronin. Group: pictured L-R stairs; Niamh Campbell, Kate Heffernan, Sean Daly, Tara Kennedy, Leanne McDonagh, Tom Lane, Rouzbeh Rashidi, Laura Fitzgerald, Thomas Johnston, Laura Dowdall. Pictured centre L-R: Darragh McLaughlin, Katie Watchorn, Paul Gaffney.