Helium Arts artisit Chelsea Canavan and Heliun Arts CEO Helene Hugel with Participants Henrietta Longstaff, Galway, Tiernan Sheehan, Limerick, Ruth Cotter, Cork and Sophie Neville, Cork. Image: Eamon Ward
The national arts and health charity Helium Arts has announced that it is to stage an exhibition showcasing artworks created by young people living with lifelong physical conditions at St Peter’s Cork, North Main Street, Cork city from 7th to 22nd December.
The ‘Helium Arts Youth Showcase’ will display artworks by teenagers with lifelong physical health conditions from Cork and across the region, who have been participating in a programme of Saturday meetups and art camps throughout 2023, organised by Helium Arts, including at its Cork hub.
During their meet-ups they visited the Lord Mayor’s Pavilion to see Catarina Araújo’s ‘Cocoon’ and Seiko Hayase’s ‘Sprouting Hands ‘exhibitions. They also participated in creative workshops in Mayfield Arts Centre.
The exhibition will explore expression as identity through artworks that will include large doodle drawings, smaller individual works and postcards.
An accompanying ‘Sharing Day’ for family and friends is taking place on Saturday, 16th December, 2.30-4.30pm.
About the Helium Arts Cork hub
Helium Arts works to improve the wellbeing of children and teenagers living with lifelong physical health conditions. It achieves this by facilitating specially designed artist- and youth-led art workshops, including those held at its Cork hub.
Families, young people and children travel to Cork from other counties and from across the region to take part in the Helium Arts creative programme, which aims to inspire creativity, provide social opportunities, offer new experiences, foster friendships, and improve mental health and wellbeing.
All of Helium Arts’ workshops are supported by professional artists, volunteers and on-site medical care.
The young people at its Cork hub have been working collaboratively with professional artist Ashleigh Ellis, from Inishannon, who facilitates the programme, to curate the presentation of their work, playing with themes and titles for their exhibition, and ways to present their work.
Feeling Seen and Heard Through Art
Ruth Cotter, age 14, from Fermoy, Co Cork, lives with spina bifida hydrocephalus and scoliosis. Ruth is a participant of the Helium Arts programme for teenagers and will have her work featured in the showcase.
Commenting on the experience and benefits for her of the creative opportunities opened up to her by Helium Arts, Ruth said: “Helium Arts has been an amazing space for me. I get to be social with other teenagers with similar experiences and interests to me while being in a creative space. I am excited to have our showcase so that others can see our work.”
A survey conducted by Helium Arts in October 2023 highlighted how its national Creative Health Hub Programme helps young participants with lifelong physical health conditions to feel seen and heard. One participant who took part in the survey said they feel seen and heard when they are being creative with people similar to them, while another said they feel seen and heard when their work is shown in public.
The professional artist involved in the showcase is supported by Creative Producer, Monica Flynn, to realise the collaborative exhibition ideas.
Announcing the ‘Helium Arts Youth Showcase’, CEO and Artistic Director of Helium Arts, Helene Hugel, said:
“In Ireland, 13% (136,000) of children live with the challenges of a lifelong health condition. 18,000 of these children are considered as severely hampered in their everyday lives. Research shows that young people living with health conditions face loneliness, stress, anxiety, and can feel defined by their condition. They experiencestigma associated with their condition, social isolation and loneliness and fewer quality friendships.
Our year-round work aims to address these challenges. November and December’s ‘Youth Showcase’ marks a lovely occasion to applaud the accomplishments, creativity and brilliant ideas of the teenagers who actively participate in our art workshops and camps throughout the year, in collaboration with our team of professional artists, including at our Cork hub.
We are thrilled to witness the innovative creations they will unveil, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the in-person events and to view the online exhibition element of the series on our website.”
All ‘Helium Arts Youth Showcase’ exhibitions and associated events are open to the public and are free of charge.
Helium Arts’ national Creative Health Hub Programme is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme, the Department of Health, the HSE, and the Arts Council. The Hub Programme is funded by the Communities Integration Fund. Helium Arts is also supported by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland as an awardee of the Changing Ireland Accelerator 2023-2024. The programme for teenagers is supported by funding from The Community Foundation Ireland and the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal.
The Cork Creative Health Hub also receives funding from The Tomar Trust and is taking place in partnership with Cork University Hospital’s Arts, Health and Wellbeing Programme and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and community venue partners Mayfield Arts Centre.
For more information about the work of Helium Arts, see www.helium.ie.
Notes:
Lived Experience Spokespersons
- A Cork young person, who is a participant of Helium Arts art workshops and whose work is being featured in the ‘Helium Arts Youth Showcase’ in Cork, is available for media interview via Alice Public Relations.
Spokespersons
- CEO of Helium Arts, Helene Hugel, is available for media interview via Alice Public Relations.
- Helium Arts art workshop artist Ashleigh Ellis is available for media interview via Alice Public Relations.
About ‘Helium Arts Youth Showcase’ 2023
The Cork exhibition is one in a series of three taking place as part of the Helium Arts Youth Showcase’, which altogether comprises:
- Galway: An exhibition spotlighting issues with accessing cultural and public spaces faced by people with lifelong physical conditions will run on both the Helium Arts and TULCA Festival websites, and their respective social media platforms, from 13th November to 1st December. An in-person ‘Sharing Day’ for family and friends is taking place at Porter Shed 1, Galway City on Saturday, 18th November, 2.30-4.30pm.
- Limerick: An exhibition will explore themes of youth interest, including deadly plants, masks and alter egos, at Limerick City Gallery of Art from 18th November to 3rd December. A ‘Sharing Day’ for family and friends is taking place on Saturday, 25th November, 2.30-4.30pm.
- Cork: An exhibition exploring expression as identity through artworks that will include large doodle drawings, smaller individual works and postcards is taking place at St Peter’s Cork, North Main Street, in Cork city from 7th to 22nd December. A ‘Sharing Day’ for family and friends is taking place on Saturday, 16th December, 2.30-4.30pm.
About Helium Arts
- Helium Arts is an award-winning children’s arts and health charity that aims to improve the personal, health and social outcomes of children and young people with lifelong physical health by providing opportunities for creativity that they may not otherwise have access to. Through a series of arts-based workshops, they create safe and inclusive spaces that inspire creativity, spark friendships, and improve mental health and well-being.
- In Ireland, there are 136,000 (13%) children and teenagers living every day with the long-term effects of illness. 18,000 of these children are considered as severely hampered in their everyday lives. Since 2010, 7,000 children and young people have discovered the world of Helium Arts, bringing positivity to their lives.
Helium Arts’ national Creative Health Hub Programme is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme, the Department of Health, the HSE and the Arts Council. The Hub Programme is also supported by the Communities Integration Fund. Helium Arts is also supported by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland as an awardee of the Changing Ireland.