As Áras Éanna celebrates its 21^st year as an arts centre in 2021, we are set to expand our Artists in Residence programme.

Over two decades now, it has been part of the culture of our Gaeltacht island that artists come and live among the people of Inis Oirr, taking inspiration from the island, its landscape, and people.

And now Dara McGee, our Artistic Director, believes the time is right to expand our Artists in Residence programme throughout the year.

“The island offers inspiration, it is a place where you can go and wander, contemplate, breathe, take in the beautiful scenery, and interact with the community,” says Dara.

“Because artists have been visiting for the past 21 years, and because the community embraces artists coming to the island, it makes sense that we expand on this programme to give artists a fantastic chance to be on a beautiful island, where the creative juices definitely flow. There’s something about being on an island, away from the mainland, your mind is uncluttered. Your artistic juices are freed up.”

Artists and performers find that Inis Oirr is very different to anywhere else. It’s a quiet place on the Atlantic seaboard, where there are no rules and limits. A place to get inspired!

“You are on a place that doesn’t have any trappings. Unclutters all that stuff in the mind, to leave the artist in a fantastic place for thinking and developing their creativity. There is no space like that in the country. We have a very unique place to offer artists,” says Dara.

Our arts centre on Inis Oirr is open to all art forms.

Mindful of the current coronavirus restrictions, we have delayed announcing full expansion of the Artists in Residence programme until it is safe for everyone to travel again. But we hope to welcome visiting artists to take time out on Inis Oirr from later this year.

You can get in touch by emailing info@araseanna.ie