We are delighted to announce a major new partnership with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). Our two-year sponsorship will support the gallery's children’s art education programme RHA Kids and will also fund a special art education programme with our three local schools in Ringsend.
The RHA Kids programme includes a special series of in-house children’s art workshops by some of Ireland’s best known artists, which will take place on one Saturday a month during 2016. The programme will also include a dedicated children’s ‘Art Cart’ in the Royal Hibernian Academy.
Operating every Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm, the Art Cart will be staffed by an art educator and will provide art materials for children to work with in the shape of an exhibition-specific Kids’ Gallery Art Kit. This will allow children to engage with the gallery and exhibitions in a fun and interactive way.
Artist Mick O'Dea, PRHA, giving an overview of his exhibition at the RHA for the launch of our sponsorship of their children's educational programme.
Art Avenues
As part of the sponsorship, the RHA will also be running the Art Avenues programme with our local primary and seconday schools. Students from St. Patrick's Boys and St. Patrick's Girls primary schools in Ringsend will learn about the daily work of an artist and their creative processes through a series of workshops with RHA artists. The workshops will take place in the students' classrooms and on studio visits to the RHA. We will then hold a special exhibition of the students' work at our offices for staff, parents and teachers to view their artwork.
Students from Ringsend College will benefit from the programme through similar studio visits and workshops. They will also take part in a career pathways session at the RHA where they will learn about the various roles of staff at the RHA.
Commenting on the new partnership Natasha McKenna, head of our Art Committee said, “We are delighted not only to continue and expand our work with local children and help them to engage with the artistic community from an early age, but also to encourage children of all ages to visit the RHA and develop their creative skills through the use of the ‘Art Cart’.”
“Mason Hayes & Curran has been a longstanding supporter of the Arts and friend of the RHA. So, the sponsorship of this programme felt like a natural progression in the development of that relationship and an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment not only to the Arts in Ireland but also to the artists of the future.”
“Contemporary Art is a core part of Mason Hayes & Curran’s CSR programme, both collecting and sharing our passion for art with others. Indeed, this programme builds on our previous award-winning work with Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. It is particularly meaningful for us when we can work with our local community and the RHA to enhance our appreciation of this wonderful creative outlet.”
Director of the RHA, Patrick T. Murphy commented, “This marvellous support by Mason Hayes & Curran means that we can re-instate an active, engaging and exciting Children’s Art Education Programme at the RHA. Their generosity means we can offer an even wider experience for families with children visiting the galleries.”
To find out more about Mason Hayes & Curran’s art programme email arts@mhc.ie
Bóinn Kennedy pictured at the launch of the RHA Kids programme.
