Exploring & Thinking Public Event
Exploring and Thinking is a collaborative framework for early childhood arts in the Dublin region. It came about in 2016 when the four Dublin Local Authorities partnered for the first time to collectively consider early childhood arts provision in the Dublin region. The project partners made a successful application for Arts Council funding under the Invitation to Collaboration Scheme 2016. The joint proposal focused on commissioning and touring new artwork to the four Local Authority areas with local engagement programmes, in arts and non-traditional arts venues.
The Exploring and Thinking framework culminated in the commissioning of two unique projects:
Anna Newell, I Am Baba - A new immersive theatre piece for babies aged 0-12 months. A full commission for the development, creation and tour of I Am Baba to the four Local Authority areas.
Helen Barry and Eamon Sweeney, Sculptunes - A modular interactive music-producing sculpture. A research and development commission, which supported the artists to develop one piece of the original six-piece proposal and test this musical sculpture with children and early childcare practitioners.
The Local Authority partnership in association with the NCH now wish to share the commissioned work and invite you to hear from the commissioned artists. A publication capturing a review of the commissioning process, outputs and impacts of the collaborative framework, alongside additional research conducted among the artists and key personnel will be presented on the day. Please see the attached programme for more information on the event.
The four Dublin Local Authorities (Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council) worked in partnership to invite applications for the creation of new artwork(s) of ambition, scale and depth for an early childhood audience.
We put a call out for individuals, collectives, organisations or companies to develop exciting and ambitious new artistic work for an early childhood audience. This audience includes children, parents and early childhood educators.
This opportunity was funded by the Arts Council of Ireland’s Invitation to Collaboration Scheme and the four Dublin Local Authorities.
Download the commission brief and support document on this page.