A new arts + health programme, supported by the Arts Council & Creative Ireland is being piloted by Sligo Arts Service. “Folk / lure” will take place in a range of both daycare and residential settings for older people; the programme will also focus on engaging with Healthcare workers through a select programme of cultural activity and, subject to funding, there will be a pop-up programme of performances also programmed for spaces this year.
Working with the HSE, daycare settings in both Collooney and Easkey will participate in a new artist residency programme, with artists Miriam Needham and Medbh Gillard from Sligo Arts Service’s new Arts + Health Artist Panel.
Miriam Needham is a writer and theatre-maker based in Sligo. Her short stories have been published in literary journals such as The Stinging Fly, Banshee, and HOWL, and her plays have been performed at festivals and theatres around Ireland. She has placed in competitions such as the Dingle Lit Short Story Competition, the Cúirt New Writing Prize, and the Edinburgh Short Story Award. In 2024, she was one of 39 writers selected to take part in the Irish Writers Centre National Mentoring Programme, supported by Sligo Arts Service. Her writing has been described as “reflective, moving, funny and thoroughly engaging” (Bernie McGill) and “full of voice and humour” (Nicole Flattery). As a facilitator, she has worked in a variety of settings working collaboratively with communities to
create a work.
Medbh Gillard is a visual artist working across photography, painting and collage, exploring themes of memory, place, and travelling narratives. Alongside her studio practice she facilitates creative workshops with groups of different ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through artist residencies she delivers participatory art projects in schools and community settings that encourage collaboration, experimentation, and visual storytelling. These processes support participants to develop confidence in making and to express ideas visually. Her approach emphasises shared creativity, play, and the value of each participant’s contribution. Her artistic research engages with history, oral narratives, and cultural memory. She has worked on collaborative projects with artists and researchers in Ireland and internationally.