Connections Arts Centre has 3 Core Pillars, Creativity, Community and Change.

Creativity

  • Our Connected Artist Program is annual program brings artist with Intellectual Disabilities and creative mentors together online to develop their creative practice and take the next steps towards exhibiting and selling their work.

This month our CA23 Artists will Exhibit in RCSI, and the University of Atypical in Belfast,

Following this they artists will join our growing CA collective where we will continue to support them with monthly online meetings.

Many of the artists have had paid opportunities as a result of participating in the prog. For example AMY B was involved in the delivery of the CA programme this year, supporting the mentors, and she also looks after out twitter account.

  • Bespoke programmes: also fall under Creativity. We design bespoke programmes for organisations like Rehab, Enable Ireland and SBHI

A pencil drawing a lightbulb with the caption, 'we use creative techniques to stimulate engaging and innovative learning environments'.
Two houses side by side, accompanied by a single tree while the sun shines above. The caption reads, 'we create truly inclusive spaces'.

Community

We are very fortunate to have a fantastic space in Rathgar that we are developing into an accessible community arts centre

We currently run a selection of public Arts and lifestyle programmes,

Recently the patrons of CCR based on our use of the space received match funding from Pobal  to upgrade the building 

This will make the space

  • more accessible, Add a coffee dock area, with opportunities for socialising, training and employment

  • All of which will increase our capacity and revenue stream.

Change

Our mission is to chance the perception & visibility of the disability community in our communities

Out TY programmes is a good example of this

CTYC connections is a peer led training programme that brings young members of the disability community and TY students to upskill

This is a multi-modular programme that uses  creative techniques to stimulate an engaging learning environment, and this is supported  by accessible online learning,

After a recent module on upskilling employment,  a participants father said to me that he didn’t know what we did but that we lit a fire in his son, and we took the fear out of participating in community programmes.

So as you can see, this programme that not just ups-skill , it is  about so much more. It is about breaking down social barriers and we have the opportunity to educate a whole new generation of young people about the value and importance of the DC in their communities and future workplaces.

A person points to a blackboard, which shows a graph. The caption reads, 'We change the perception and visibility of the disability community in our communities'.

As an organisation we have identified our unique strength

-          TEAM: CE, Volunteers, Interns, Advisory committee and board

-          We are attracting skilled based volunteering _ for example we are working with and organisation called Sogeti  to  improve the efficiency of our Opp through technology

-          Collaboration-  as an independent Arts led organisation we are in unique position that we can and do collaborate with multiple org.

-          Christ Church Rathgar

An art piece of two butterflies.

IMPACT

Creativity

  • 2024 aim support 50 artists

  • Run 3 -4  national exhibitions

Community     

  • CCR 5 programmes weekly supporting up to 100 people, work complete we will be able to double our capacity

  • Collaborate with and supporting service users from 10+ different DO  including Rehab, Cheeverstown House and St. Michael’s House.

CHANGE:

We are continually breaking down social barriers

Supporting and empowering members of the disability community everyday

By Creating  truly inclusive spaces

In the last 12 months we have had 1200 programmes participants

And have indirectly impacted 1000 more family members, support staff, and volunteers

A picture of a child's hand covered in blue paint.
The picture shows two children; a boy and a girl, both surrounded with Easter eggs and baskets.

STRENGTHS

  • Dedicated core team of staff, volunteers, advisory and board

  • Good network of volunteers

  • Proven track record of delivering successful and impactful programs to the community

“Our mission is to assist people to overcome barrieres that they encounter everyday that lead to them being devalued and excluded from our communities.”

— Miriam Spollen, CEO