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Branar Meitheal Alumni 2021-2023
Early in the programme, we came to understand that creative production support starts with creative people support. You put people first. Here are the artists and producers who participated in the Branar Meitheal 2021-2023 pilot initiative.
Branar Meitheal Alumni - Artists
Lets meet the artists who particiapted in Branar Meitheal and understand how Branar Meitheal worked for them.
Miquel Barceló
“Two words come to my head when I think of Meitheal: meaningful support and tools to go forward… Being part of Meitheal impacted my work immensely. It helped me to understand areas of my work that I never had the time to invest in – areas of production, planning and partnerships with theatres and companies. Meitheal created a space where I could be mentored and guided, and opened doors to new ways of collaborating with people."
Originally from Mallorca, Miquel is an independent performing artist, director, musician, teacher and activist, with experience in creating theatre for and with people with intellectual disabilities. Miquel joined Meitheal with the ambition to make a piece of guerilla theatre for children that drew on his experience in street performance and formal clown training, and which would serve as a repertoire piece for him. Through Meitheal, Miquel developed and toured his first own show Ballad of a Bandit and established a sustainable production and touring model. Meitheal also supported Miquel to forge a new type of relationship with Branar and a platform for on-going collaboration. Miquel is currently Associate Artist with Branar for 2024
Read more about Miquel's work here
Orla Clogher
“Meitheal was a brilliant, thoughtfully designed initiative which was hugely beneficial to my practice, supporting my ambition to move into a director/theatre maker role. Working within a very supportive community of mentors and peers, I developed my first show, Fen. I now look forward with confidence to continuing my career as an independent theatre-maker."
Orla is a visual artist, designer, and theatre maker whose career spans theatre, spectacle, film, community arts and education. Orla was drawn to Meitheal because she had an idea for a children’s show. She was looking for support in its development as she took on, for the first time, the role of director/creative lead on a theatre piece for young audiences. Meitheal supported Orla through the development to the presentation of Fen. The programme helped Orla secure her first Arts Council Project Award, brokered financial support for the production from Roscommon and Mermaid Arts Centres, and helped forge new relationships for Orla with these partners. At production stage, Orla was matched with a Meitheal producer and supported to establish this key relationship.
Instagram: @orlaclogher
Paul Curley
“My participation in Meitheal coincided with and occasioned the most significant developments in my practice as a theatre artist. Reflecting on my time within Meitheal makes me acutely aware of how essential this service is for the sustainable development of artists and the wider theatre for young audiences sector in Ireland. The benefits are far-reaching and profound."
Paul is a performer and theatre-maker specialising in creating theatre for young audiences. He has worked with companies and performed in festivals nationally and internationally. As a Meitheal participant, Paul’s focus was on building his strategic and production capacity as an independent theatre-maker and on maximising the life and touring potential of his productions within venues, schools, libraries and festivals in Ireland and with opportunities abroad. Meitheal supported Paul through the production and presentation of Polar Bear and Penguin, providing both strategic and producing support. As a result of Meitheal, Paul found a Creative Producer (Meitheal colleague Claire O’Neill) and secured a collaborative partnership for the future. Working with Claire, Paul was successful in achieving significant funding from the Arts Council including, for the first time, Arts Grant Funding and is advancing long-term ambitions.
Instagram: @mrpaulcurley
Selma Daniel
“Participating in Meitheal was a transformative journey that significantly impacted my professional development. As a result of Meitheal, I have not only enhanced professional skills, a strengthened network and a newfound confidence in navigating the challenges of creating work for young audiences but also a real sense of belonging within the artistic community in Ireland.”
Selma Daniel is a choreographer and artistic director with over 25 years of experience in dance as a performer, creator and dance facilitator. Her practice focuses on dance for young audiences and on socially engaging dance for screen, stage, and public spaces. Selma participated in Meitheal aiming to consider and effect the strategic growth of her practice and to build her capacity to tour successfully. Through Meitheal, Selma accessed production support, was coached in the planning and delivery of tours and advised on strategies for national and international networking. Meitheal also brokered the presentation of her show Moving Words at the Irish Arts Center in New York, opening opportunities for future international presentations. With guidance from Meitheal, Selma secured her first national touring award and was awarded Arts Grant Funding for the first time.
Read more about Selma's work here
Phillida Eves
“I found a community in Meitheal: one that supported and valued my work and was in a word, transformative! Simply knowing that I could reach out for advice, or support, gave me great impetus and confidence to move forward, to embrace the challenges and go for it. I found empathy, understanding and practical suggestions that empowered me in my work. Meitheal is the most valuable, practical and encouraging community and I am very proud and immensely grateful to be a Meitheal alumna.”
Phillida Eves is a creative sensory artist. She is passionate about giving autistic children and young people with learning disabilities a voice in the creative process and agency in expressing themselves in the creative arts. As a Meitheal participant, Phillida set out to enhance the production values of her show Camp Everyone (previously called Hear Our Voice) for schools and to explore its potential to be further developed for presentation in theatre settings. Engaging creative and technical crew to develop sound, lighting and design for the piece, Phillida was supported to tour this production to a mix of venues and school settings, testing the flexibility and potential of this model for her target audience.
Read more about Phillida's work here
Liam McCarthy
“I feel lucky to have participated in Meitheal. At its heart, Meitheal aims to connect the dots, between disparate artist supports where they exist, and to create new supports where there are none. Meitheal offered me a grounded sense of community, connection to wonderful people and a renewed artistic drive."
Liam is a playwright and curator of Bualadh Bos Children’s Festival, Limerick. He is an Arts Council Next Generation artist for 2024. Liam’s participation in Meitheal was motivated by a desire to make work for children which was relevant, honest and engaging and to connect with like-minded peers in pursuit of that aim. As such, he found the opportunities to visit festivals, to see new international work and to meet new artists highlights of the programme. Meitheal supported Liam to develop, present and revise his play Fergal, and to develop a new work Monkeys in the Garden.
Instagram: @mcarthyliama
Mary-Lou McCarthy
“With Meitheal I felt connected with an artistic infrastructure and support network in a way that I had not experienced before as a maker. This greatly increased my sense of what might be possible for me and for my work. My partici pation in Meitheal coincided with pregnancy and the birth of my first child. Throughout, I was supported to continue to engage with the programme and to develop my work: securing funding, attending meetings and events and making connections with artists and program mers which are already leading to opportunity.”
Mary-Lou is a writer, actor and theatre-maker who primarily creates or facilitates work for young audiences, working in English and the Irish language. Mary Lou was eager to explore and expand her own practice through connection with and learning from others, as encouraged and enabled by Meitheal. During her participation in Meitheal, Mary-Lou completed and presented her first full length play The Dead Letter Office. She was then supported to apply for an Advance Touring Award from the Arts Council which allowed her to plan a national tour to coincide with her return to work following maternity leave.
Instagram: @marylou_mc_carthy
Mónica Muñoz
“Meitheal has been a brilliant support for me. It allowed me to deepen my practice and inspired me to explore and develop a new area of work. I was encouraged to consider how I work, with practical advice and resources to help me achieve a sustainable career. I am also now part of a fabulous peer group, which I really value.”
Originally from Barcelona, Mónica is a dancer, performance maker, and educator, making work for early years and young audiences. Mónica considered her participation in Meitheal an opportunity to consolidate and grow her practice, understanding and putting in place what is necessary to sustain it. Meitheal supported Mónica to secure Arts Council project funding for, and then to develop, a new work Made of Earth, specifically for an early years cohort. Being part of Meitheal strengthened Mónica’s profile as an artist in Ireland and expanded her network across venues and festivals.
Read more about Monica's work here
Neasa Ní Chuanaigh
“Meitheal gave me time to evaluate my practice and inspired its future development. It encouraged me to explore the unknown, to reach beyond what I already know as a performer. It enabled me to connect with mentors, experts, the Arts Council and my peers and provided a framework for my ideas and aspirations to take shape and become real. Meitheal has given me confidence in my ability as an artist creating work for young audiences.”
Neasa is a performer and puppeteer working through English and Irish, nationally and internationally. Neasa came to Meitheal with the seed of an idea to make her own show, which harnessed her skills in puppetry. She was supported on this journey practically and artistically. She was helped to apply for Arts Council funding at key points of development, allowing her to advance this new project in stages, while balancing existing work commitments. Meitheal created a pathway for her to develop the contacts and capabilities that enable the making of work, alongside its artistic expression.
Jess Rowell
“Participating on the Meitheal programme benefited my practice and growth as an artist on many levels. It was a deeply nourishing experience. I now have concrete connections with venues across Ireland and it has assisted me in creating a sustainable, realistic plan for the future."
Jess is a dance artist, facilitator and choreographer who has developed an inclusive practice making work that engages children, young people and artists with disabilities. Through Meitheal, Jess established a model of touring suited to the audience she serves. She secured her first Arts Council Touring Award and a subsequent award, which enabled two national tours of her show Making Waves. She also made her debut with this show at two international festivals in Ireland. Jess built relationships with two Meitheal producers, and successfully secured funding to develop a new work. Meitheal provided Jess with a visible platform at home and abroad which she maximised to advance her inclusive practice.
Read more about Jess' work here
Branar Meitheal Alumni - Producers
Lets meet the producers who particiapted in Branar Meitheal and understand how Branar Meitheal worked for them.
Michelle Cahill
“Meitheal’s focus on the person, on self development, was one of the major benefits to me, and to my practice over the course of the year. I now have a more confident approach to my work, having been nurtured and supported in a such a genuine and meaningful way during the programme.”
Michelle is an independent producer with an established track record of working with a range of artists making contemporary performances. She is passionate about collaborating across all genres to realise artistic ideas and produce ambitious new work for audiences. She recently took up the role of Programme Administrator with Luail - Ireland’s National Dance Company. Michelle participated in Meitheal’s producers programme to broaden her knowledge and awareness of the children and youth arts sector and to expand her network to support the realisation and presentation of work for this audience.
Instagram: @maydaycreates
Elaine Donovan
“My experience of Meitheal as a programme and as a community was beyond anything I could have imagined. I believe the legacy of connection, network, and relationships will continue to be beneficial to me in my own work, and to enhance work for young audiences into the future.”
After a 14-year career in project management and development with arts and not-for-profit organisations, Elaine now works as an independent producer, motivated by the desire to increase children’s access to quality arts experiences. Elaine participated in Meitheal as an emerging Producer-in Residence with Branar in Galway. The year-long residency gave her the opportunity to learn from experienced producers and theatre makers, and to gain insight into all the stages of a production lifecycle. Elaine was paired with fellow participant artist Orla Clogher and supported in her role as producer of Orla’s first theatre production, Fen. She is currently working as Producer of Rosán Sensory Adventures, with Meitheal artist Phillida Eves, to bring sensory theatre to children and young people with additional needs.
Instagram: @eldooc
Gráinne Hope
“For me, Meitheal was not just a programme, it was a transformative journey that will have a long-lasting influence on my work as a musician and as a Creative Producer.”
Gráinne is an Independent Producer, cellist and Director of Music and Health Ireland, through which she facilitates music-making opportunities in children’s hospitals nationally, as well as in schools, arts and community settings. Gráinne was motivated to participate in Meitheal to elevate and explore new dimensions of her artistic practice and to forge meaningful connections with artists, venues and producers in the theatre for young audiences field. Through Meitheal, Grainne was supported to extend her network, building relationships across the performing arts disciplines and was successful in achieving an Arts Council Agility Award. Collaborating with Children’s Health Ireland Arts in Health Programme, Gráinne is now exploring innovative ways of developing and delivering quality live arts experiences across all live art forms for children and young people, their families and the staff of Children’s Health Ireland hospitals.
Instagram: @musichealthirl
Mags Keohane
“As a structured development programme, Meitheal allowed me time to take stock of my career and to develop a more sustainable producing practice. I soaked up knowledge from the events we attended, the learning and development opportunities created and the people we met. There is no doubt that the connections I made through Meitheal have fast tracked my career in theatre for young audiences and that the programme equipped me with the network and tools I need to confidently produce work for young audiences.”
Mags is an independent producer working across theatre, dance and interdisciplinary performance. As a Meitheal participant, Mags was supported to achieve identified goals which centred around expanding her knowledge and experience of work for young audiences, building networks and relationships within the sector and considering how to develop her producing practice in a strategic, sustainable way. Meitheal introduced Mags to Meitheal artist Jess Rowell, with Mags subsequently producing the tour of her show, Making Waves.
Read more about Mags' work here
Claire O'Neill
“Meitheal was fantastic. It’s hard to express the value of participating in a programme like this for self-reliant individuals, such as artists and producers, who rarely have time to invest in career development. For me, it was vital. Meitheal provided me with a unique opportunity to recalibrate after the uncertainties of Covid. Quite simply put, I wouldn’t be working in the area of young people, children and education without it."
After 15 years in a variety of managerial and production roles across the arts sector, Claire now works as an independent producer. Claire’s participation in Meitheal allowed her to pivot within the arts sector to specialise in work for young audiences. Her focus was on expanding her knowledge of the sector and of practice, with a particular emphasis on understanding best practice in terms of audience engagement. Meitheal helped Claire to build strong connections within the sector and a bespoke producing practice. It also supported her as producer working with fellow Meitheal participant Paul Curley.
Caoimhe Whelan
“I started Meitheal with no producing experience and now work with a portfolio of artists, half of whom are within the theatre for young audiences sector. The opportunity to witness how an arts centre works through the Producer-in-Residence programme was a privilege and invaluable. Meitheal has been instrumental in my career and I can honestly say I would not be producing without it. I’m sure Meitheal will have an impact on my career for a long time to come.”
Caoimhe is an independent producer, working across the performing arts for both young and older audiences, with experience of working in the arts in Ireland and in Canada. Caoimhe participated in Meitheal as part of the Emerging Producer-in-Residence strand based at Riverbank Arts Centre, County Kildare. This funded year-long residency provided hands-on experience and insight into working in a venue context. It enabled Caoimhe to establish herself as a producer, advanced her understanding of audience and engagement strategies and built connections with practitioners and venues across the sector.
Branar Meitheal Alumni