Jump to content
Image of participants sitting around and drawing on a table covered in white paper

SummerProgramme 2022 Conversation Table

A Summer of Sun, Fun and Friendships with Helium Arts

Wow this Summer went by so fast! As we get back to school this week we are looking back at a summer of sun, fun and friendships with Helium Arts. 

SUMMER ART CAMPS (ages 6-12)

We were delighted to return to our Spring venues in Limerick, Cork, Mallow and Galway for our Summer Art Camps. We also got the chance to bring our camps to Castlebar and Ennis for the first time!  It was wonderful to meet so many new children and families.  Across these 6 locations, the children, aged 6-12, created some beautiful artwork alongside our professional artists.  Check out our Social Media pages, @HeliumArts where some images of the art created were posted, throughout the Summer, for everyone to enjoy. 

TEEN MEET UPS (ages 13-18)

In August, we held in person Teen Meet Ups in Limerick, Cork and Galway. Our teen participants paid a visit to an exhibition and made art based on it in Galway, created Eco Art in Cork, and made collaged portrait silhouette boxes in Limerick.  We are looking forward to holding more Teen Meet Ups this November. 

The highlights of the Summer Programme included:

  • 6 Locations / 33 Workshops  – our biggest number of location/workshops so far!
  • 53 Children & 8 Teens – the total number of young people who engaged with our Summer Programmes.
  • 2 New Locations – the first time Helium has provided workshops in Castlebar and Ennis.

 

A collage of colourful images of creativity from the Helium Arts Summer Workshops 2022

Observations from the Artists

Confidence

Our artists were thrilled to see just how much of a difference there was in the confidence of each child between day one and day three.  In just three days the children transformed from being nervous to enter the room to being more and more engaged with the artists and their peers.  As time went on we saw the children asking questions, looking for direction and leading their own creative explorations. 

Collaboration / Connection

Our Artists were impressed by the collaboration they saw between the children, especially in the older groups.  All the children were excited to meet their peers, make friends ‘like me’, work together and learn from each other.  The children want to be able to do more of this in future workshops and we have taken note!

Pride

There was a great sense of pride among the children in the quality of the work that they produced.

Imagination / Experimentation

In all of the workshops the artists observed a great sense of play, energy and delight for the creative process.  The artists were impressed by the children’s innovation from making an imaginary playground complete with solar panels to making an impressive rocket from toilet roll holders!  Our future  is safe in the hands of children like our Helium Arts participants!

Collage of images of the work created at the Teen Meet Ups Summer 2022

What The Parents Said:

"(He/She/They) enjoyed it so much usually nervous about going places but ran in the door every day"
(Parent, Mallow)

"It has helped my child's independence and social skills and also to share a space with other children and work with them"
(Parent, Ennis)

"This is the first activity outside of school where my child has been facilitated to attend. His extra needs and challenges were accepted.....This is a huge win for us as a family and for my son"
(Parent, Galway)

What The Children and Young People Said:

"I think it is a good opportunity to meet other teenagers with similar conditions"
(Teen participant)

"I liked creating new items and painting in different ways"
(9-12 participant)

A big thank you to our amazing artists who put so much work, care and thought into creating and delivering each one of these workshops.

Limerick – Chelsea Canavan, Mallow – Rachel Doolin, Castlebar – Lucy Hill, Ennis – Ana Colomer, Galway – Sarah Fuller & Yvonne Cullivan, Cork – Ashleigh Ellis

Interested in taking part in our workshops??  Check out our workshops for Autumn / Winter 2022 here.

31st August, 2022