Our Mission
“During my time working in the Disability Sector, I have seen first hand the positive and uplifting impact that the Arts can have within the Disability Community.”
- Miriam Spollen, Founder of Connections Arts Centre
Connections Arts Centre is an award winning not for profit social enterprise supporting the disability community in Ireland. As a social enterprise, our objective is to improve the lives of the people we serve, and to achieve a positive social impact.
Our mission is to assist people with disabilities to overcome barriers encountered everyday that lead to them being devalued and excluded from their communities. We do this by providing accessible arts, lifestyle and training programs that are inclusive of everybody
All our programmes are designed and led based on the needs of the participants, and are hosted by experienced facilitators.
Our aim is to support and connect the wider Disability Community through our online, blended and in person programmes, removing any barrier to participation. We support and empower the Disability Community by providing an inclusive, safe, accessible space in Dublin City where people can join public programmes, connect, and socialise. Check out our programmes here, Rathgar timetable
Connections also work collaboratively with individual organisations, designing bespoke programmes to suit their needs. By working with us, a not for profit Social Enterprise, these organisation are in turn helping us to support the wider Disability Community. To date we have worked with organsiations such as Enable Ireland, Cheeverstown House, SDCP Ability programme and more. Find out more here, Bespoke Programmes.
Part of our mission is to empower members of the Disability Community to develop their skills and share their experiences with others. Our Connecting Artists 22 programme is an example of this in action, have a look here, Connecting Artists 22
Our online gallery and gift shop champion and support Artists with Disabilities. You can support the Connecting Artists 22 participants by purchasing a print or original piece of Art from our Gift shop, Connections Arts Centre Gift shop
Our recent Creative TY Connections programme empowers adults with disabilities to develop their skillsets and take a step towards meaningful employment. You can heck out out Creative TY Connections programme here.
Since our launch in April 2021, we have had over 500 participants join our programmes from all over Ireland.
Online there are no limits, so we can connect with a much greater audience. Our objective is to reach the Disability Community in far reaching corners of this country. By interacting with this audience, researching and delivering initiatives based on their needs, we can create an innovative Social Enterprise model for our Art Centre. This keeps Connections in line with guidelines of good practice, by providing “social inclusion of disabled people through the provision of community-based activities to facilitate exchange of knowledge and skills.” (European Coalition for Community, 2009, p.13.)