Making Space Artists Collective – Welcome to 2019

(L – R) Philip Mann, Cath Redding Kenny, Philomena Barry, Tina Elliffe, Rosemarie Langtry, Catherine Ivers, Caroline Coyle, Dean Carroll, Ursula Ledwith (pictured at the “Welcome to 2019” launch on January 5th)

BY: PHILOMENA BARRY

Making Space Artists Collective is a non-profit, multi-disiplinary, Athlone-based group made up of visual artists, writers, photographers, poets, actors, musicians, dancers, designers, social architects, DJs and other academics. They are an inclusive group who create interventions, interrupt the everyday and are “making space” for contemporary art within the community.

Since 2011 they have been creating and instigating socially engaged art projects and showcasing art in alternative spaces and places. They actively encourage public participation through workshops, talks, discussions and events, and work collaboratively with other organizations, disciplines, communities and groups. They also curate and organize artist led events held in temporary spaces and in accessible locations, and have a particular focus on community arts.

Many of the members are well known in the community; Rosemarie Langtry, Dee McKiernan, Tina Elliffe, Philip Mann, Amy Barry, Ursula Ledwith, Les Best, Denise de Blaca, Catherine Ivers, not forgetting yours truly, to name just a few!

The group have staged many free, public events and exhibitions over the years, the latest being their “Welcome to 2019” exhibition which is currently on display in Vincent’s Charity Shop on Church St, and will remain on view until the end of January. I was at the launch on January 5^th and interviewed Rosemarie Langtry, Tina Elliffe, Cath Redding Kenny, Catherine Ivers, Caroline Coyle and Philip Mann; if you’d like to listen to those interviews, click below:

A new Piano in the Park project will be bringing music to the streets of Athlone this year; public pianos are popping up all over the place lately, how exciting that we’re going to have our very own!

The group have also released a free-to-download 2019 calendar; if you’re interested in downloading it, or just having a look, you can do so on their Facebook page “Making Space Athlone.”