January 2024 saw a change in the Coordination role. 

There has been continued activity through Early Years, Film and Podcasting as well as resuming work in Kilkee Youth Theatre and Thomond Youth Theatre. We are also glad to report the intensifying of work with a group of young people living with different needs through Brothers of Charity in Ennis, Newcastle West Foroige and Dance Limerick.

Kilkee Youth Theatre. 9 to 18 year olds weekly workshops in Kilkee Community College Their devised show, The Big Decision was performed on June 8th in Culturlann Sweeney Theatre to great success!

Thomond Youth Theatre. 12 -18 year olds. Workshops in Thomond Community College with a view to developing a show in Autumn 2024.

IPAS and Direct Provision Weekly after school workshops continue in Knockalisheen.

Drumming Workshops May/June  in Northside FRC for participants from Knocklisheen Accommodation Centre.

Dance. The LCYP are partnering with Dance Limerick on an Integrated Dance Club. The LCYP will then expand this project alongside consultations on creative workshops for participants with additional needs. Identifying current available access to creative programmes for participants with additional needs is recognised as a priority going forward

INSPIRE: Magic Dance Workshops took place in Nursery Times January – March 2024. This project has received additional funding and will focus the project on ELC’s in Limerick and Clare.

Young Ensembles Programme. Critical Engagement Along with Kilkee Youth Theatre and Abbeyfeale Beoirs, Future Film Makers is one of the groups identified to be part of the Arts Council-funded Critical Engagement Programme. So far, the group has travelled to the Galway Film Fleadh to see a series of short films as well as a screening of Alice McDowell’s Spread Your Wings in the Glórach Theatre, Abbeyfeale during Call & Response. A recording of Kilkee Youth Theatre’s response to Limerick Youth Theatre’s 2023 Pride and Prejudice production may be viewed here: (5) LCYP Kilkee Youth Theatre - Critical Engagement Programme – YouTube. Participants from Kilkee Youth Theatre attended The Creative Show on April 12th. A final gathering event took place on June 27th with a screening event in An Glorach Theatre, Abbeyfeale.

Future Film Makers took place again over October and November 2023 with trainees working in Southill and in St. Mary’s creating a short film on Youth Work entitled ‘IMPACT’. A second film ‘FUTURE FOOTBALLERS’ was shot this year as part of this programme, in the FAI training centre at Kilmallock Rd. Campus. Dominik Kosicki of Red Paw Media and Maeve McGrath, film maker led the process. Both films are on Limerick and Clare ETB YouTube channel.

The Gaggle. This project is now a podcast/animation/music collaboration with Foroige and Music Generation Co. Limerick. It is called The Gaggle and launched its first episode (1 of 4) online on June 15th for Cruinniu na nOg 2024. From this project a six week learning workshop block was given to teach participants how to use an animation app. There was also a podcasting workshop being delivered to a group with different needs.

Murals. West End Youth Centre: A mural project is commenced in June 2024 with participants aged 10-13.

Sixmilebridge: A mural project has commenced in Sixmilebridge Youth Centre. This mural will have an unveiling event in July 2024.

School Completion Summer Camps. Summer Camps are ongoing with art tutors with Ennis School Completion Programme. June/ July 2024

Paint Punch in West Limerick and Clare. The Paint Punch Project delivered in partnership with The GAFF who have received additional funding to expand this programme in 2024.  Recommencing June 2024, Abbeyfeale, Killmallock, Limerick City and Ennis. Images for the project can be seen in this video which was launched during Call & Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9QBDVi0I90 

Animation. Brothers of Charity, Ennis Weekly workshops with the Brothers of Charity ‘Streetwise’ group in Ennis finished the end of May 2024. This project was working with older teens and young adults on a visual art programme. A tutor from Music Generation Clare was brought on to the project to facilitate participants in making and recording their own soundtrack to the film. The animation film project is currently completed and awaiting screening.