Image: Strong Women Science at Cairde in the Park 2022 Photo by Anna Leask - Art and Photography.
About POP: Planning for Outdoor Performance
The Planning for Outdoor Performance (POP) is a partnership initiative and events series with 5 Local Authority Arts Offices (including Roscommon - lead partner, Cork City, Kerry, Laois and Tipperary) with National Resource Organisations: Irish Street Arts, Circus & Spectacle Network (ISACS), Poetry Ireland, Music Network and Theatre Forum. Management services provided by Promenade, who help artists and communities to create incredible new arts experiences in Ireland's public places and unusual spaces.
The initiative is funded by the Invitation to Collaboration scheme by The Arts Council of Ireland, with additional local authority support. It brings together the aforementioned Local Authorities through the delivery of a series of pilot outdoor arts events in new public spaces. POP aims to develop a framework and a training programme around the importance and practical needs for creating art in public spaces.
Training Programme
An eight part online training seminar series was organised in October and November 2023 by Promenade with a range of experts from the world of outdoor arts events.
The training covers everything from the history of outdoor arts, to developing your artistic vision and partnerships, the practicalities and logistics of running outdoor arts events and reaching different kinds of audiences plus making your event more artist, audience and environmentally friendly.
Click to view recordings : POP: Planning for Outdoor Performance - Training Series
National Press Release
POP Go the arts! Inspiring the arts outdoors
Set the Stage Outdoors: Inspiring Creativity, Captivating Audiences, Unleashing Artistry in the Open Air!
Series of 5 outdoor arts events in Laois, Roscommon, Cork City, Kerry and Tipperary, launched to
promote Planning for Outdoor Performances (POP) across Ireland.
To help inspire and encourage more outdoor performances, a series of five arts events will take place across the country from February to May in Laois, Roscommon, Cork City, Kerry and Tipperary. This is part of the Planning for Outdoor Performances (POP) initiative, which has been developed by local authority arts offices (spearheaded by Roscommon County Council) to help encourage the outdoor arts scene. It promotes collaboration and helps artists, event planners, local festivals and community organisers bring captivating outdoor performances to cities and towns across the country.
Over the past few months, those interested in volunteering or learning about outdoor events had the opportunity to part-take in training seminars on how to successfully run outdoor performances, which had high levels of engagement. These covered everything from the history of outdoor arts, to developing your artistic vision and partnerships, the practicalities and logistics of running outdoor arts events, and reaching different kinds of audiences, plus making your event more artist, audience and environmentally friendly.
The POP Events Series, which has just been launched, aims to further promote the initiative and show what can be achieved when groups work together locally. The outdoor events are all arts based and free for the public to attend.
‘Bríd Faoin Spéir’, Feb 1, Co. Laois Head to Market Square, Portarlington, Co. Laois on St Brigid’s Day from 4-8pm. This event, which is facilitated by Laois County Arts Office and the award-winning multidisciplinary Port Art Collective artist group, draws inspiration from Brigid as a triple goddess of healing, fire and poetry with appearances from poets Ann Egan, Laura Murphy and Enda Wyley, female musicians Brinda Irani and Crime Star, female mural artists from Minaw Collective and a fire performance from Broken Theatre. Plus eco-friendly creative workshops and craft demonstrations from members of Port Art Collective.
Mar 2, Co. Kerry: Isle of Geese, Tralee is the location for the next event on Youth Mental Health Awareness Day facilitated by Kerry County Arts Office and local partners such as Munster Technological University. This event will have a strong youth focus on highlighting the power of art and creativity to improve health and wellbeing with a mixture of performances and workshops engaging people throughout the day. The event will include live music & performances by local bands and musicians plus workshops on funambulism and circus skills, printmaking and instrument workshops. It will offer the opportunity for young people to try various artforms throughout the day while enjoying entertainment by local Kerry artists.
April 20, Co. Roscommon Make your way to Somers Park, Castlerea for World Circus Day facilitated by Roscommon County Arts Office in collaboration with local circus residency space Motion Chapel. Walkabouts and performances from some of Ireland’s leading circus performers showing off their acrobatics and aerial skills plus try your hand at funambulism and circus skills workshops.
April 28, Cork City Bookmark the historic Elizabeth Fort during Cork World Book Festival. This event will be part of the World Book Festival Programme of events working in collaboration with Cork City Library and Cork City Council Arts Office. Using the whole of Elizabeth Fort to showcase Cork’s up and coming and established writers, poets and spoken word performers through readings, live music and poetry performances, drop in style workshops and more.
May 18, Co. Tipperary Make your way to Tipperary Town’s Market Yard. This day is both National Drawing Day and during the month of Bealtaine. Facilitated by Tipperary County Arts Office in collaboration with local arts and community initiative Creative Places Tipperary Town. Live dance and music performances from local professional and community artists plus drawing, circus and many more creative workshops.
Speaking at the launch of the Planning for Outdoor Performances (POP) Event Series Rhona Mc Grath Arts Officer at Roscommon County Council (lead partner) explained:
“POP was developed to help cultural and voluntary groups feel more confident about running outdoor performance events and what that entails from road closures to artistic inspiration. The goal driving this overall project is all about capacity building - by providing the necessary information and tools to community groups, arts and festival organisers, we are empowering them to be able to host more events in outdoor and public spaces, be it town squares, market spaces, parks, streets and greenspaces. This will serve to enrich both community enjoyment of the arts and upskill stakeholders to make them more confident in hosting such events. Our event series brings it to life and showcases what can be achieved. By working together, we can redefine the landscape of cultural expression in Ireland and bring performances to more people."
Lucy Medlycott, Director of The Irish Street Arts Circus Spectacle Network said:
“ISACS are delighted to be involved in the POP initiative, exploring the transformative power of performing arts in public spaces and supporting the development of meaningful relationships between the excellent network of Local Authority Arts Officers and the growing community of outdoor artists today.”
POP Event Series
Click the County for more information!
Image: ISACS_Fanzini Productions by Abigail Denniston_Spraoi 2022.
