Create Networking Event 2025
Event
Create’s National Networking Event is an annual encounter of exchange and learning, providing a vital space for connection and discussion among artists, activists, researchers and other collaborators operating in the spaces between collaborative, socially engaged arts, community development, pedagogy, and politics. This event is a unique opportunity for those working in the field to meet with like-minded peers, to share and network, and learn from each other as well as leading voices in the field.
Each year we seek to engage with themes that are relevant to those working in socially engaged arts practice, providing artists, organisations and civil society with challenging and stimulating conversations that can inform future collaborations.
The title of this year’s event is Collaborative Futures. Prepare for an immersive event filled with provocations, networking opportunities, workshops and learning from local and international guest speakers.
The Networking Event will examine how we can look to our history to gain lessons for the future of collaborative, socially engaged art practice, building hope through togetherness, community as activism and building movements through collaboration.
What to expect
We will kick off the day with a panel entitled Here and Now. This panel welcomes local voices Richie Keane from Fatima Groups United, Dannielle McKenna from Rialto Youth Project, artist Veronica Dyas, community worker, activist and writer John Bissett, and will be chaired by artist Evelyn Broderick, who is currently working with Create as Public Art Liaison for the Citizen Commissioners project at Dolphin House in Dublin 8.
These panellists will trace the longstanding and intertwined relationship between Create, collaborative and socially engaged art, and the Dublin 8 neighbourhood. This is a moment to look at where we’ve come from, in community, and ground ourselves in the place we are gathering.
Following this panel and an opportunity for networking, we will feature provocations from a number of international invited artists and thinkers; Dr Sophie Hope, of the Guildhall De-Centre for Socially Engaged Practice and Research; Joon-Lynn Goh, Cultural Organiser and Co-founding Director of Migrants in Culture; and Viviana Checchia, Director at the Void Art Centre Derry and Co-Director of ‘Vessel’, an international curatorial platform. Their contributions will inspire us as we prepare for the afternoon session, which will take as its inspiration and format Open Space Technology.
Open Space Technology is a process that enables collaborative problem solving, improved communications and better networking. We invite participants in the Networking Event to set the agenda, to raise issues that they grapple with, to share experiences and sticking points. The afternoon session will include parallel working sessions, opportunities to work through these issues, to raise questions and learn from the community.
Throughout the day, we will create space for networking, connection and learning about the inspiring collaborative and socially engaged art work ongoing in the Dublin 8 area and beyond. The day will be closed out by a panel made up of our provocateurs, who will highlight common threads identified by the Open Spaces session, and will discuss how we can move forward – with hope – collaboratively.
The Venue
F2 is a social enterprise established to drive economic development and create employment opportunities, to support and sustain social impact programmes for the Rialto and wider Dublin 8 community. The F2 centre, based in Rialto, is wheelchair accessible and has wheel-chair accessible bathrooms and a lift to upper floors. For more information on the F2 Centre, please contact +353 1 4716700 or email info[at]f2.ie
Accessibility
It is important to us that as many people as possible have an opportunity to experience our Networking Day. Here you will find a short film which outlines how to get to the F2 centre, and the accessibility of the venue.
Those with financial, access or other requirements are invited to contact Create on info@create-ireland.ie, or 01 4736600, to discuss how we can best support you to attend. Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation will be available upon advance request (info@create-ireland.ie).
We are aware that many access requirements exist. If in the case you feel that you cannot attend due to an unmet access requirement, please get in touch with us and we will work with you to ensure you can experience the event.
Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation and quiet room will be available upon advance request. If you have any access needs, please advise us when booking or email us at info[at]create-ireland.ie.
Hand sanitiser and masks will be made available to attendees.
