Grass Roots

Grass Roots

MARK BUCKERIDGE AND LEAH CORBETT DISCUSS THE ARTIST-LED ORGANISATION, MUINE BHEAG ARTS.

MUINE BHEAG ARTS is an artist-run organisation based in Muine Bheag – a small town in County Carlow, situated on the River Barrow. It was established in 2020 to promote contemporary art in a rural context, collaborate with the local community through multi-disciplinary arts activities and to support emerging and established artists by commissioning new works of art. Muine Bheag Arts does not operate from a fixed space, but works remotely to host a temporary programme of exhibitions, workshops and events in the public realm.

Having both grown up in the countryside, we were aware of the lack of cultural spaces available to rural audiences. We wanted to create something outside of the city context where we could work at a slower pace and develop a more sustainable model. In doing so, we hope to build long-term relationships within the community. Working in a small town allows us to have direct and meaningful interactions with people in a way that can sometimes be difficult in a city.

By facilitating encounters with contemporary art on a local level, our goal is to develop new relationships, share unexpected experiences and foster collective thinking. We co-founded and collectively run Muine Bheag Arts based on a shared interest in artistic practice, DIY approaches and community action. Our artist-run ethos puts artists at the core of what we do. We wish to provide a platform for artists to research, experiment and imagine new possibilities for their practice through close collaboration with the organisation and members of the community.

‘Grass Roots’ was the first public programme initiated by Muine Bheag Arts. It took place last August and included contributions from Bog Cottage, Saidhbhín Gibson, Carl Giffney, Mary O’Leary, Nollaig Molloy, Rory Mullen, Cliodhna Timoney and Katie Watchorn. The artists were invited to respond to the rural context as a space of artistic production. Each artist invited some form of direct participation or engagement to the area through their work, with some of the artists developing new site-specific public sculptures as part of the programme. Cliodhna Timoney invited the public to use her work, Limelight, as a meeting point or a place to leave offerings.

Katie Watchorn created printed postcards to accompany her sculptural work, which were available for visitors to take away. Carl Giffney responded to a research residency in Muine Bheag by creating a roaming installation, Viewing Platform, which traveled to various locations and offered participants an alternative view of the town. Along with sculptural work, Rory Mullen presented new performance work, Hee-haw said the donkey, which invited members of the public to take part in a semi-fictional tour of the town. Artist collective Bog Cottage presented 1800-BOG-COTTAGE – a collaborative sculpture accompanied by a kneeling rock which offered a space for reflection.

Other artists hosted a series of one-off events as part of the programme. Nollaig Molloy spent time researching the Irish Sugar archives in Carlow County Library and presented some of the archival material as part of a film screening event, A Meeting at Muine Bheag Community Centre, along with works by Michele Horrigan and Joan Ross. Mary O’Leary hosted non-appétit, a pop-up culinary experience which highlighted exploitative seaweed harvesting practices in Ireland. Saidhbhín Gibson led Wonder, They Wander, a walk along the River Barrow exploring the riverine flora and fauna.

‘Grass Roots’ was situated in public spaces throughout Muine Bheag, branching out across the fields, down lanes and along the bank of the river. The launch of ‘Grass Roots’ was hosted in the local pub (Phelan’s) and various events were held in Muine Bheag Community Centre. It was important to us to utilise the existing infrastructure and facilities that were available in the town. This process of producing contemporary artworks in a rural context is symbiotic. We needed to

work together in tandem (artists, community and organisation) to realise the events and off-site projects.

The ‘Grass Roots’ programme was an exciting start for Muine Bheag Arts. Going forward we hope to build on this experience and embed the organisation further into the fabric of the community. This process of collaboration and engagement is central to our belief that art can be used as a tool to enrich our daily lives. Our ambition for future programming is to be fluid and adaptable, remaining flexible in terms of the schedule, scale and format of projects. This may incorporate additional projects in the public realm, collaborations with other organisations and community groups, temporary interventions and residencies. We have planted a seed this year, which we will continue to nurture and grow into the future.

Mark Buckeridge is an artist from Muine Bheag, County Carlow. markbuckeridge.com

Leah Corbett is an artist and curator from Tipperary and a former co-director of Catalyst Arts in Belfast. leahcorbett.net

Muine Bheag Arts was established in 2020 as a non-profit organisation with funding through Carlow’s Creative Ireland Programme, which also supported the delivery of the inaugural programme, ‘Grass Roots’. muinebheagarts.com

Bog Cottage, 1800-BOG-COTTAGE, public sculpture, Grass Roots, Muine Bheag Arts, 2021; Photographer: Kate Bowe O’Brien.

Rory Mullen, Hee-haw said the donkey, public sculpture, Grass Roots, Muine Bheag Arts, 2021; Photographer: Kate Bowe O’Brien.