s The catalyst for creative response: the materials from The Women’s Library collection were different in each project and always offered a catalyst for creative response rather than prescribed learning. s The women-only character of the group. s The intergenerational character of the group. s Sue Mayo considered the particular art form that might work well with a specific theme and then which artists, drawn from the pool of Magic Me artists, would be most appropriate. One of the most significant elements of each project’s success was that the artists had experience of working in intergenerational contexts and/or having had participated in Magic Me’s Continuing Professional Development programme. s The artists’ approach was informed by their own disciplinary expertise, experience of Magic Me’s training in intergenerational arts practices and a shared commitment to co-labour and crafting of ideas with the participants. These fixed points of reference contributed to a structure that framed and held the project as it evolved. The variables for each project included: s Theme. Sometimes these were drawn directly from the collection (Beauty? to coincide with the launch of the exhibition Beauty Queens: Smiles, Swimsuits and Sabotage whilst others, such as Heartfelt were informed by the interests and needs of the group). s The specific materials from the library. At various points in the project, Sue Mayo worked with the Director, the Education Officer and the Curator of The Women’s Library to discuss a specific theme and the particular materials held by the library that may be interesting points of reflection and departure for the group. After this initial conversation, the Education Officer then spoke with other members of staff about the project so that there was a wider institutional consideration of the project and potential catalyst materials. s The individual participants: although there were a number of older women who continued to be involved at various times across the decade, there were always new women in the group. The girls were drawn from a specific year group. Many of the exercises in the early part of the project focused on supporting the group – both artists and participants – to find ways of getting to know each other in ways that were not just about ‘reporting’ facts about each other, but details of a person’s life and interests – the things shared as well as the things that distinguished people from each other. s The specific art forms and artists. Each project developed through a range of different art forms including photography, film, puppetry, sound and sculpture. s External events that impacted upon the group. The nature of the project, focusing on the lives of women – both participants and those within The Women’s Library collection – meant that the projects were informed by the dialogue between the two. Sometimes there were major local and international events that informed the content and tone of how the group Wild Wild Women, Dr Caoimhe McAvinchey
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