We hope to create connections through our community engagement programmes that enable children, families and adults enjoy art in a beautiful civic space that is free and open to all.
Enjoying and creating art helps with all aspects of learning. Participation in the cultural life of our city is essential for improving children’s sense of belonging.
The Hugh Lane Gallery’s collaboration with the CDETB Foundations Project seeks to offer children caught up in the uncertainty of living in temporary accommodation opportunities for enjoying the creative space and immersion in the cultural life of their city, Dublin through artist-led programmes of creative engagement.
On selected Wednesday afternoons in February, March and April 2026, artists Tamao Oka, Barbara O’Connell and Roxy Manouchehri worked with parents and children in Tilly’s on Sean McDermott Street, as part of their regular After-school programme.
Foundations at Hugh Lane Gallery in Spring 2024 was with artist and puppeteer Niamh Lawlor, who explored the theme of joy with the children over 5 weeks in February and March 2024.
Since 2017, fantastic work has made by the participating children and teens during ongoing artist-led after school and summer programmes at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
The publication A Space to Create was produced earlier in the project to share and celebrate the creativity of the children and participating artists.
In this workshop with Barbara O’Connell, families looked at Albert Gleizes’ and Robert Pouyaud’s ‘Pochoir’. They focused on Colour shape and linearity, and children created a fun collage using the bright colours from the work; 18 March 2026.
On selected Wednesday afternoons in February, March and April 2026, artists Tamao Oka, Barbara O’Connell and Roxy Manouchehri worked with parents and children in Tilly’s on Sean McDermott Street.
In this image – Inspired by Andy Warhol’s ‘Flowers’, 11 March 2026, with Tamao Oka.
For 5 weeks in February and March 2024, artist and puppeteer Niamh Lawlor worked with a group of children aged 9-12 exploring the theme of joy. Drawing inspiration from selected artworks from the Hugh Lane Gallery’s collection, the group looked at the body, movement, shapes, composition, colour and story; in the work on display and in their own work.
