Smashing Times and Mother Tongues Art Festival present The Art of Witness: A creative exploration of language, identity and culture

About this Event
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, in conjunction with the Annual Mother Tongues Arts Festival 2021 are delighted to host ‘The Art of Witness’, a presentation of creative practice and an online panel discussion exploring themes of language, identity and culture on the island of Ireland. ‘The Art of Witness’ takes place online on Friday 14 May 2021 at 7.30pm.

Artists and panel members are award-winning writer Féilim James whose work in both Irish and English has won several awards including the Arts of Council of Ireland Literature Bursary Award and Professional Development Award and an Arts Bursary from Dublin City Arts Office; Noelle McAlinden, from Northern Ireland who is a visual artist, creative advisor, mental health campaigner, curator and cultural broker; Richard Edgar, Author and Historian and Kwasie Boyce, Artistic Director of M.A.D. Youth Theatre, Dundalk. Our event takes place in partnership with Mother Tongues Festival and features discussion with all panel members, moderated by Kwasie Boyce, intercut with poetry readings by Féilim James and visual art offerings by Noelle McAlinden.

Across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Europe and beyond citizens of all backgrounds and cultures are finding ways to come together to create spaces where culture works to strengthen social ties. Smashing Times are delighted to bring together a panel of artists, creatives and communities from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to share artworks and generate dialogue on how the arts can be used to explore themes of language, identity and culture in relation to equality and rights and to imagine alternative ways of living and engaging with others in understanding, trust and peace on the island of Ireland and beyond.

Presented by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality as part of State of the Art and Creative Connections. Supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and The Reconciliation Fund, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.