Open Call: Summer School on Collaborative Practice and Social Change 2026

Create and Learning Lab Agency are pleased to announce the 2026 Summer School on Collaborative Practice and Social Change. This intensive programme will take place over six days, from 15–20 June 2026, Killary Lodge, County Galway.

About the 2026 Summer School

Now entering its eighth year, the forthcoming Summer School on Collaborative Practice and Social Change explores the work of collaborative and socially engaged artists and examines the politics of public art, counter publics, and the significance of place in an era of rapid geopolitical rupture and transformation.

Collaborative and socially engaged artists increasingly operate across multiple, intersecting community domains such as health, care, housing, post-conflict contexts, displacement, and climate change. Their work demands a wide-ranging skill set, including intuitive code-switching, deep listening, problem-solving, and advocacy. Artists in this field often act as mediators, catalysts, community allies, project initiators, enablers, producers, and more.

In 2026, we will highlight both the visible and invisible forms of labour that underpin collaborative and socially engaged practice. Through case studies and their own in-situ or in-process projects, participants will explore the distinct, yet interconnected skills and spheres involved in this work.

Programme Structure and Ethos

The Summer School is founded on a strong belief in the power of cooperative and transdisciplinary ‘thinking through doing’. It values peer-to-peer collaboration, cross-sector solidarity, and mutual support among participants. The six-day immersive format provides an incubator environment where participants engage with live case studies, participate in skills training workshops, critically reflect, and receive one-to-one mentoring.  The Summer School is delivered in partnership by Create and Learning Lab Agency with funding support from The Arts Council of Ireland.

Summer School Team and Facilitators

Summer School Director: Dr Áine O’Brien – Independent Curator/Researcher, Learning Lab Agency

Summer School Producer: Áine Crowley – Programme Manager, Arts and Engagement, Create

Summer School Assistant Producer: Carolann Courtney – Programme Coordinator, Create

Visiting Artists and Facilitators:

Dominik Czechowski, Curator, Researcher and Writer

John Conway, Socially Engaged Artist

Dana Olărescu, Socially Engaged Artist

About Killary Lodge Co. Galway

Participants will stay in Killary, Co. Galway – a country lodge nestled among mature native trees just 250m from the waters of Killary Fjord, in the heart of Ireland’s stunning Wild Atlantic Way. The house has 10 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. Please note that participants must be willing to share bedrooms, however this will be accommodated in consultation with you. The house is wheelchair accessible: it includes a lift to the first floor and ramps to access outdoor spaces. Please contact us if you have any questions or need clarification. The residential will include full board, travel and an appropriate participant allowance to cover additional costs incurred.

How to Apply

Further information and application procedure can be found on the Summer School page. The Deadline for Expressions of Interest is 5.30pm, 20 April 2026.