Kids' Own Annual Report 2016

Kids’ Own works in defence of children’s right to culture and to support each child’s individual creative expression alongside professional artists.

Kids’ Own Annual Report 2016

Contents Who we are Aim 1: Access & engagement Aim 2: Dissemination & recognition Aim 3: Quality & professional learning Aim 4: Building internal capacity

Who we are Since its inception in 1997 Kids’ Own has emerged as a key organisation that supports the provision of exemplary arts practice with children and young people in Ireland. An integral part of this work is the commitment to supporting professional artists in developing their practice with children and young people and all other professionals working with children through the arts. Kids’ Own is primarily focused on supporting the engagement that occurs between artists and children and in developing a way of working with children and young people that develops their own individual creative expression through the creative process. The outcomes from this engagement serve to further promote the arts in the lives of children in terms of resources that support practice, or work in itself that supports children and young people as active cultural creators in their own right. Kids’ Own is located in Sligo. We work locally and across Ireland and Northern Ireland in partnership with many schools, venues, arts organisations, local authorities and government departments. Kids’ Own is a significant employer of freelance professional artists in the northwest and in the rest of Ireland, and we are committed to supporting artists in developing their own practice working with children and young people.

Our work develops out of our own defined need and also as a result of other agencies and organisations approaching and commissioning Kids’ Own to further support their work with children and young people. Kids’ Own is passionate about the role of the arts in the lives of children and through our programmes and partnerships we aim for continuity of experience for children, depth of engagement and breadth of impact. Through our work within the last year alone Kids’ Own worked directly with 1452 children, 522 Artists, Teachers and Early Years Professionals and 527 parents. We have continued to champion professional artists’ practice with children through our flagship publishing and residency programmes. We received 4 year funding to develop learning from our long term artist-inresidence project Virtually There. We were also awarded a two year contract to continue the mangement of the Arts in Education Portal - The national digital resource for arts in eduaction practice in Ireland.

In 2016 Kids’ Own has developed a new three-year strategy, 2017-2020, which sets out our new strategic aims and objectives for the next three years. To acheive these aims we must continue to challenge attitudes towards children and their role within the arts. We must raise awareness among families, teachers and policy makers of the value of the creative experience for children across all stages of their lives. We must seek to foster influential champions, engage in professional development and influence national policy and curriculum reform. We must raise the profile of children’s art and written work and document high quality processes of engagement, and support the development of professional arts practice with children and young people in Ireland.

Our aims 2016 Aim 1. Access & engagement: Increase access for children to engage in artistic activity with professional artists on an on-going basis within their everyday lives and learning experiences.

Aim 2. Dissemination & recognition: Improve recognition of children’s own work and ideas.

Aim 3. Quality and professional learning: Create opportunities for professionals who support and nurture children to develop their own practice working with children and young people.

Aim 4. Building internal capacity: Ensure Kids’ Own has the internal capacity to achieve its aims.

Artistic programme 2016 Kids’ Own’s artistic programme consists of a range of interconnected and mutually supportive activities that work together to fulfil the organisation’s key aims. These include publishing programmes, artist residencies, dissemination of work through touring, festival events, professional development and research. What follows is a short overview for each aim and a report on selected activities in 2016.

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 1: Access and Engagement

Aim 1: Access & Engagement Increase access for children and young people to engage in artistic activity with professional artists on an on-going basis within their everyday lives and learning experiences.

Kids’ Own is dedicated to bringing the arts to the lives of all children and young people in Ireland. We provide a way of working that empowers children and young people to develop their own individual creative expression through authentic arts practice alongside professional artists.

Key programmes 2016 Local Engagement • • • • •

Sligo Children’s Book Festival Environmental Field Guide Culture Night - Our Map The Kindness Project Book-reach to schools

National Engagement • 100 Year History Project school visits and launch • HSA Teen Multimedia Project

Online Engagement • Virtually There (North) • Virtually There (South)

Story house, An event for families as part of culture night Sligo 2015, with artists Vanya Lambrecht ward and Naomi Draper.

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 1: Access and Engagement

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT Kids’ Own is committed to working in partnership locally to provide opportunities for children and their families to engage in the arts.

In the north-west there is a dearth of quality provision for children where they are supported in their own individual creative expression. Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Roscommon have a child population of over 75,000. However, there is no continuity of engagement for children and a lack of dedicated experiences designed to support the wide demographic of children and families living in the north-west.

It is worth highlighting that Ireland has a percentage of jobless households with children of 56%as compared to the European average of 24% (NESC). Within this, Sligo also shows statistics that highlight our need to attend to poor educational attainment and the potential knock-on effect in terms of exclusion and marginalisation from cultural engagement. 53.5% of the population in Sligo have not gone beyond second level education and 16.6% have not passed primary level. By providing opportunities for consistent arts experiences, we can help to address this and support parents, teachers and childcare practitioners in recognising the value of children’s active engagement within their schools and wider communities.

In 2016 our aim was to build on existing relationships locally and to develop more long-term programmes within local venues, arts centres, schools and early years settings. In 2016 our vision was to explore the feasability of more long term supports for children and families in Sligo.

Key local partners • • • • • • • • • • • •

Sligo Education Centre The Model The Hawk’s Well Theatre The Dock Carrick-on-Shannon Education Centre Sligo County Council Roscommon Arts Centre Kilkenny Childcare Committee Waterford Childcare Committee Carlow Childcare Committee Kilkenny Education Centre Institute of Technology, Sligo

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 1: Access and Engagement

NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT Kids’ Own is committed to working in partnerships nationally to provide opportunities for children and their families to engage in the arts.

Children account for approximately one quarter of Ireland’s population, but funding allocations and provision of services for children are not in any way representative of this.

In terms of the children’s arts sector, there are no standards to guide the quality of engagement or practice currently being undertaken by artists, childcare workers and teachers, nor any evidence base or consistent evaluation to assess if this work is having a positive and meaningful impact on child development. Activities for children tend to be passive events, where children are the ‘consumers’ of work created by adults, rather than active ‘makers’ of art and culture. Provision also tends to be inconsistent, and does not actively invite participation from a wide demographic of children and families.

Aside from quality of engagement, access to the arts in Ireland is still largely socially determined. The educational and social impact of this is significant and remains a challenge for all those who believe in the intrinsic value of the arts.

Kids’ Own work seeks to address these issues. Throughout our work we aim to question and challenge children’s role within their communities and the significant role artists play within children’s lives.

From our perspective there is a real lack of opportunity for children and teachers to engage with artists in schools at both primary and post primary level. Kids’ Own aims to build our residency programme to ensure more children have this opportunity.

Key national partners in 2016 Programmes in 2016 • • • • • • • • •

ATECI • 100 Year History Project HSA • HSA Teen multimedia project Department of Education and Skills • Arts in Education Portal Arts Council • Virtually There Arts Council of Northern Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs Dublin Institute of Technology Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Higher Implementation Group for the Arts in Education Charter

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 1: Access and Engagement

ONLINE ENGAGEMENT Kids’ Own is committed to using online technology as a tool for creativity and exchange between artists and children.

Key programmes 2016 • Virtually There NI • Virtually There ROI

Online partners in 2016 • • • • • • •

ACNI C2KNI Leitrim Education Centre Kilkenny Education Centre The Education Centre, Tralee Sligo Education Centre Belfast Education and Library Board

VIRTUALLY THERE

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 1: Access and Engagement

For nine years, Virtually There has evolved from an experimental pilot project that connected one artist and one school, into an unparalleled model of engagement between artists, children and teachers in schools across Northern Ireland, through the use of virtual technologies. Nine years on, the project continues with thanks to ongoing funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and, with additional funding from the Arts Council’s Touring & Dissemination of Work Award in 2014, piloted two residencies in the ROI. Kids‘ Own in 2016 received a more and better award from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. This award has enabled Kids‘ Own to extend the project to 10 schools and conduct a four year action research alongside this work. In 2016 we were delighted to receive funding from the Arts Council of Ireland to develop Virtually There in 4 schools in the south of Ireland, in partnership with 4 Eduaction Centres. Kids‘ Own continues to strive to embed professional practice within schools across Ireland to create a strong exemplar of best practice working and supporting artists and children as co creators.

Artists and Schools 2016 Artists

Teachers

Schools

Ann Henderson Ann Donnelly Sharon Kelly Naomi Draper Andrew Livingstone Rhona Byrne Lisa Cahill John Darcy Helen Barry Julie Forester TBC TBC TBC

TBC

Judith White Marcella Wilson Fionnuala Hughes Stella Cross Paula Courtenay Helena Byrne Leanne Kyle Chris McCambridge Joanna Harriott Wendy Davey TBC

TBC TBC TBC

Ballydown PS, Banbridge, Co. Down Donaghey PS, Dungannon, Co.Tyrone St. Patricks Crossmaglen, Co. Down St. James PS Strandtown PS, Belfast, Co. Down St. Colemans, Lawerence Town Aughnaclog PS, Dungannon St. Colemans, Lisburn St. John the Baptist Killard House School Leitrim Eduacuation Centre Kilkenny Education Centre The Education Centre, Tralee Sligo Education Centre

Examples of journals from 2016 https://projects.kidsown.ie/ballydown-ps-artistblog/ https://projects.kidsown.ie/ballydown-ps-teacherblog/ https://projects.kidsown.ie/ballydown-ps-classblog/

Link to Virtually There publication http://issuu.com/practice.ie/docs/vt_book/1

“A few weeks ago artist Ann Donnelly asked me what was it that I thought was important within the Virtually There practice – what made it different?

Immediately I said that I thought it was about “investing in the small things”. I’ve thought about this since and know that commitment to this investment underpins my overall approach as an artist.

I also know that; it demands a particular level of focus which in turn dictates its own pace, it insists in stepping away from the usual pattern of doing and thinking, it gives rise to certain kinds of questions, it nurtures excitement around rigorous investigation.

So, here’s to the small things!”

Artist Ann Henderson

Aim 2:

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 2: Dissemination &recognition

DISSEMINATION & RECOGNITION Improve recognition of children’s own work and ideas Why should society listen to children? How can we support children’s individuality and their creative expression?

How can we make space for children as active cultural agents within their communities and society at large? As Ireland’s only dedicated publisher of work made by children, Kids’ Own seeks to address the systematic dismissal of children’s voices within our society, and offer a platform for children’s lives and experiences to be valued and made visible through publishing and the arts.

Currently, the field of children’s literature in Ireland is dominated by an adult view of childhood and an adult worldview in general. Kids’ Own believes there is a significant gap here in terms of giving visibility and representation to children’s real thoughts and experiences for other children. Our work operates within a niche that seeks to address this gap, and give status to children as equal and active citizens.

Children’s work is deserving of recognition in its own right. Through the publication of children’s voices and experiences, our hope is to counter the perception that publishing is the reserve of an elite few and to present childhood within an egalitarian context

Key Activity • Publishing with children and young people

Key publishing projects 2016 • • • • •

100 Year History project A Picture of Kindness Environmental Field Guide project Our Map: An Alternative View of Roscommon Book-reach to schools

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 2: Dissemination &recognition

A PICTURE OF KINDNESS Kindness Project

This project is the result of a collaboration between Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership, Kilkenny, Carlow & Waterford County Childcare Committees and six early years settings in the southeast. The project was funded by the ESB Energy for Generations Fund. Through a previous collaboration, Starting School, which explored children’s experiences of the transition from pre-school to primary school, the theme of kindness emerged as a significant element in helping children to feel good and be confident in the forming of relationships with other children and adults. Through the Kindness Project, this became a theme for more in-depth exploration.

Children in six early years settings engaged in a creative process alongside writer Mary Branley and artist Naomi Draper to explore the concept of kindness as a gift, using storytelling, treasure hunts, drawing and making. The early years practitioners also supported this process, and the result is this book, which can be used in any early years setting.

Partners: Waterford Childcare Committee Kilkenny Childcare Committee Carlow Childcare Committee Artistic team Artist:Naomi Draper Writer:Mary Branley Early years Settings Play Together, Co. Waterford Tigh Sugradh, Co. Waterford Oasis Childcare Centre, Co. Kilkenny Kells Community Childcare Centre, Co. Kilkenny Kilkenny Road Community Childcare & Family Centre, Co. Carlow Stepping Stones Community Childcare Service, Co. Carlow

100 YEAR HISTORY

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 2: Dissemination &recognition

http://100yearhistory.com/ The 100-year history project is a creative commemoration project, engaging children and teachers from 10 schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland with the Decade of Commemorations, through research and creative activity alongside a professional artist and writer. The project is phased to encompass child-led research, exploring the wider political events of the decade 1912-22 through the lens of local and family histories.

This project, which culminates in the publication of a new book in autumn 2016, offers an example of how children’s voices can be included as part of a serious national dialogue about our society and our history.

Over 300 children from Ireland and Northern Ireland participated in a two-year research process through which they developed their own knowledge, opinions and questions in relation to Ireland’s Decade of Commemorations. The publication of their work sends a message about the value we give to children’s role and their participation in our society. Do children have a right to equal participation and inclusion or not?

Are their voices important to us a society, or not? If they are, we should consider giving children a bigger platform for their work to be seen, read, heard and understood.

The 100 Year History publication will be launched in 10 schools throughout October and November 2016.

Aim 3:

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 3: Quality and Professional learning

QUALITY & PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Kids’ Own creates opportunities for professionals who support and nurture children to develop their own practice working with children and young people.

Kids’ Own continues to be a significant employer of freelance artists in Ireland. In 2016 Kids’ Own paid €32,910 to professional artists, and a core group of 15 artists worked with us on our projects. A core aim of Kids’ Own is to promote excellence and support artists and other professionals working with children, to raise awareness of the value of the arts in the lives of children and young people and professionalise arts practice working with children.

Events and programmes 2016 • • • • • •

Arts in Education Portal Portal National Day Portal online documentation course EYNI conference - Lullaby Seminar Virtually There two-day professional learning days, Belfast Teaching Artist Conference Scotland, August 2016

Commission • Artist~School Guidelines - Review commissioned by the Arts Council on behalf of the Higher Implementation Group for the Arts in Education Charter.

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Annual Report Aim 3: Quality and Professional learning

ARTS IN EDUCATION PORTAL Kids’ Own is delighted to be leading the development of the Arts in Eduaction Portal. Since its launch in May 2015, the Arts in Education Portal has been developing as a new space where both artists and teachers can be supported and inspired. Analytics show that the site has had nearly 27,000 visits since it went live on 19th May 2015 As we continue to develop this space, we are becoming more aware of the needs of the sector and the kinds of supports that are needed to continue developing practice and supporting a strong ethos of arts in education practice in Ireland. Kids’ Own were delighted to receive the contract to continue the role of content mangers for the Arts in Eduaction Portal for the next two years. Our aim during this time is to continuing building a strong and informed sector. We will continue to work alongside the editorial commitee to develop content that strives to build practice that support both artists and teachers.

The content plan for the portal in 2016 included a range of features that would support artists and teachers in a number of ways by offering inspirational case studies (ongoing projects + partnerships), practical guidance on documenting & submitting work, critical insight into theory & ideas underpinning the sector and its development (critical essays), and behind-the-scenes insight into professional arts practice and art form (artist videos). Our thinking was to connect the content on the portal through thematic strands. Key content from 2016 includes: Theme: Dance Critical Essay - The Dance of the Poetic and the Practical (Reflections on Dance in Education in Ireland,) Dr. Mary Nunan. http://artsineducation.ie/wp-content/uploads/The-Dance-of-the-Poetic-and-the-Practical.pdf Project and Partnership -A collaborative dance artist in residence programme, co-ordinated by the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education with Dancer, Lisa Cahill. http://artsineducation.ie/en/project/finding-our-way/ Artist Video Series: Choreographer and dance artist Fearghus Ó Conchúir discusses the value of dance as a form of self expression and what influences him in his work. https://vimeo.com/160952281 The Portal National Day in IMMA on Saturday April 23rd 2016 provided a crucial opportunity for annual reflection and celebration of the work that is taking place across the country. This marked a beginning point, from which to build the off line community. It was an amazing day of inspiring talks, presentations and workshops. 250 people registered to attend this event. Below are comments from the attending delegates.

“The number of exciting and inspirational projects taking place throughout the country is truly inspiring. Thank you for a fantastic day.”

“What an inspiring day! It was so illuminating to see so many different perspectives and stories of creativity in education.

These initiatives are not always so visible”.

“I really enjoyed quality and quantity of forward-thinking projects that are happening all around the country. I enjoy the sharing and learning on the portal. I enjoy the videos and practical experiences. I need more opportunities like today to network, listen, and meet teachers and artists. Thank you.”

“I found the Tenderfoot presentation excellent and inspiring. Veronica engaged the whole group. More game playing for grown-ups please. We all need to play”.

A wonderful uplifiting day. So happy to know that the arts are very much alive in Ireland Link to the video of the inaugural arts in education event at IMMA https://vimeo.com/172789517

Aim 4: BUILDING INTERNAL CAPACITY

Ensure Kids’ Own has the internal capacity to achieve its aims.

Robust governance Kids’ Own is a company limited by guarantee. It does not have a share capitial. It is a registered charity. It is governed by a memorandum and articles of association. Kids’ Own is in compliance with the Governance Code for the Community,Voluntary and Charitable Sector in Ireland.

Board development 2016 The Kids’ Own Board is governed by a board of directors. Board members serve as non-executive directors and do not recieve any remuneration for their work. The board meets at least 4 times a year and is responsible for all business of the organsiation while the day to day management is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer and Kids’ Own staff team. In 2016 Kids’ Own co-opted two new members to the Kids’ Own Board, with a third to join before the end of 2016. Maria Corbett rejoined the board and Jennifer Hennessy is an incoming board member. Gert Ackerman stepped down as board member and Chair of Kids’ Own and Irene Lawlor is now the current Chair of the Kids’ Own Board.

Kids’ Own board 2016 Irene Lawlor, Chair - Communications Manager, Barnardos Maria Corbett - Children’s rights advocate, policy analyst and researcher Siofra Kilcullen - Head of Community & Engagement, Mayo County Council Jennifer Hennessy (incoming) - Social Finance Executive at Clann Credo

Company growth since 2012-2016 The work of Kids’ Own has grown exponentially over the past four years. Our turnover has increased from €121,000 in 2012, to 262,171 in 2015. In 2016 we are currently managing significant and strategic projects at national and local level. In 2016 we increased our staff to include an office administrator, Emma Kavanagh. We are working towards a company structure that allows us to continue delivering a wide range of national and international projects, while also being able to develop an evidence base to underpin our work and to further our strategic aims for dissemination and building sectoral impact.

Review of company strategy 2014-2016 In 2016 Kids’ Own’s undertook a review of its last strategic plan (2014-16). Our four key aims were to: (1) Increase access; (2) Improve recognition; (3) Ensure quality; and (4) Build capacity. Within the review of this plan we have recognised that over the past two years, specifically with the publication of the new Arts in Education Charter, new opportunities have opened up for us, and led to a brand new piece of work as the editors of the Arts in Education Portal. This was strategically very significant for Kids’ Own in terms of supporting, and having an influential role in, the development of the Arts in Education sector Our new partnership with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation was also a very significant development, which enabled us to secure four-year funding for our flagship project, Virtually There, and introduce research alongside. This is a welcome step both in terms of financial sustainability for the next four years, and also in terms of building on our own Kids’ Own-initiated project, and capitalising on what we have invested in this work over the past 9 years. These two key pieces of work have prioritised our focus over the past two years. We also maintained our regional and national partnerships to continue with collaborative publishing projects. In terms of operational capacity and governance we brought a new staff member onto our team and we achieved full compliance with the Governance Code. We also increased book sales during this period by 81%.

New company strategy 2016-2020 Kids’ Own’s has developed a new strategic plan, 2016-2020. This plan comprises critical first steps in the journey towards Kids Own’s longer-term vision. Kids Own has set a longer vision for the organisation that it will become an internationally recognised champion of children’s artwork and literature. We will develop an archive of children’s work that can be accessed online from anywhere in the world, and build up an international network of practitioners who are committed to a way of working with children that supports individual expression and exploratory processes of co-creation. We will foster and galvanise the expertise within this sector so that children become central and intrinsic to creative partnerships. We will also take on a leadership role in a number of other international initiatives, such as establishing an international festival for children and creating multilingual publications that reflect children’s lived experiences from all over the world.

This strategic plan accompanies this document, and sets out a clear vision for how we intend to build on what we have achieved in 2016.