This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for Artists (of all disciplines) and Creative Art Therapists to collaboratively explore each other’s work ethic, creative worlds and perceived similarities and differences, through an online and in-person professional development journey. Applications are welcome from artists working in a range of artistic disciplines including in the visual arts, music, literature, theatre, dance etc.
Three County Arts Offices, Waterford, Tipperary and Cork, have partnered with the Smiling Dog Collective to deliver this Stage 1 initiative, supporting 18 practitioners (9 Artists and 9 Creative Arts Therapists), with three artist-therapist pairings selected from each county through the open call process. Smiling Dog members: John McHarg, Ed Kuczaj and Marie Brett will facilitate and support cross-disciplinary partnerships of conversation, making and reflection aiming to inform Ireland’s socially engaged, plus arts and health practice. The programme spans a maximum of 4 days equivalent, via online and in-person activity, between October and December 2026.
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ONLINE INFORMATION SESSION
Tuesday 1 September 6.30pm-7.30pm This online information session is open to anyone interested in learning more about the project and application process
Register to attend the Online Information Session here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/cross-currents-online-information-session-tickets-1997834865864
How to Apply
Please read the below guidelines before submitting an application. The guidelines contain information on the application process, eligibility, programme commitments and key dates.
Application deadline: Wednesday 30 September at 12 noon
Project Partners
The project is being funded by the Arts Offices of Cork County Council, Tipperary County Council and Waterford City & County Council and organised in conjunction with the Smiling Dog Initiative comprising of Marie Brett (Artist), Ed Kuczaj (Artist & Art Therapist) and John McHarg (Artist & Art Therapist). And is supported by IACAT (Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists)
Image Credit: Two-headed statue. From Ain Ghazal city, Jordan. Pre-pottery Neolithic period B, c. 7500 BCE. On display at the Jordan Museum, Amman, Jordan. Photograph by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin. License https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Twoheaded_statue_from_Ain_Ghazal,_Jordan_Museum,_Amman.jpg Changes have been made by Marie Brett.
