Artists Interviews

Each month we feature an in-depth exploration into a current project in order to share learning and provide insight into approaches to practice.

March 2009: Practice.ie Team

Introduction

Fiona Whelan discusses her collaborative practice with the Rialto Youth Project which is now in its fifth year. Over this time, she has built up a relationship with the youth workers and the young people of the area, which has ignited a strong collective practice based on dialogue. In this interview, Fiona discusses some of the developments along the way and particular issues relating to the communication processes involved.

About the artist

Fiona trained as a painter, subsequently completed the H.Dip. in Community Arts Practice and has just finished her M.A. in Public Art. She began working in Rialto on a nine month residency in Studio 468 and the area held so much interest and challenge, that she spent a further five years developing a contextual collective practice there.

About the project

Fiona has just secured funding for the collective of artist, youth workers and young people to develop the third year of `What`s the Story?`. This three year collaborative art project emerged form a long term relationship between visual artist Fiona Whelan and the staff and young people at the Rialto Youth Project. The project is dedicated to capturing, exploring and responding to the stories of young people in Rialto, Dublin 8.