The Cairde Festival is in full swing in Sligo this week and Helium is delighted to be involved. On Friday we were involved in a celebration of Arts + Health in Sligo which took place in Joyn on Charles Street. The contributing organisations are exploring the idea of an Arts + Health Network and the Cairde festival gave the groups an opportunity to platform all of the great work that is going on. Helium displayed some of the work from the Puppet Portal Project and also showed the new Infant Imaginings video which can be seen on the homepage. Also exhibiting were the Arts Initiative in Mental Health, Sligo Youth Theatre, Joyn and Sligo Arts Service. Work by service users of Irish Wheelchair Association, National Learning Network, Mental Health Services and disability services was displayed and can be seen all this week in Joyn. The event was launched by Brid MacConville artist and former OT Manager with Mental Health Services. Brid was involved in developing the Arts + Health strategy for Sligo some years ago.

On Saturday Helium performed along with Monkeyshine Theatre and Papilio Theatre in the Storytelling tent in the People’s Park. Despite gale force winds, the tent stayed up and all of the shows were very well attended. Helium performed Infant Imaginings for 0-3 year olds with musician Sean Callagy and special guests Kareen Pennefather and Anna Rosenfelder. The show was very well received and it was interesting to see this show performed for a larger group as it is usually a one-to-one performance. Photos of this event can be seen below.