Living Artfully will bring music, song and creativity to communities in order to improve / maintain their health, wellbeing and quality of life. It will enable Carlow and Kilkenny local authorities, who are partnering on the project, to collaborate creatively with a diverse range of targeted groups and individuals on an outreach basis, providing a variety of workshops to those living in urban and rural areas of both counties. Taking a ground-up approach, the initiative is community and artist-led and designed to engage meaningfully and for the long-term.

An Cathaoirleach was joined by members of staff from both Carlow and Kilkenny County Councils and Creative Ireland, together with the Programme Manager and Artists who will be leading the initiative. It provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the start of an exciting journey which is set to enrich many lives; to gather together and meet one another; to experience a creative performance; and to share our hopes and aspirations for Living Artfully in 2024 and 2025.

The initiative seeks to entwine culture and creativity with the everyday lives of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. An over-arching programme, it invites service users and staff engaged with Traveller Support Services, Dementia Friendly Services, Mental Health Services, Social Prescribing Services, and HSE Carlow/Kilkenny to participate in this therapeutic intervention that will offer a mechanism to instil creative, healthy, and helpful habits into our lives.

Living Artfully ensures an accessible, stimulating, artistic experience is offered, where participants will engage as singers, musicians, movers, listeners, and creators; as part of a creative collective, with expression, communication, and connection at its heart. In addition to the clear benefits to wellbeing such engagement brings to service users and staff alike, it’s expected that further invaluable outcomes will include strong interagency collaboration, enhanced service provision, and a legacy of sustainable, flexible and adaptable practices which will have been developed as part of the initiative.

The programme is now underway with a Project Manager appointed and engaged in active coordination and development with partner groups. An induction day was held for recruited artists which was attended by both Carlow and Kilkenny Creative Community Engagement Officers. Living Artfully will offer a means for self-expression, increasing confidence, affirming identity, celebrating existing skills and nurturing new ones. Its vision is one of a diverse and inclusive community who are supported and encouraged to enjoy the riches and pleasures of an abundant cultural life.

In February 2024, the Creative Ireland Programme invited applications from Local Authorities for grant funding for projects supporting Health and Wellbeing through Creativity across 2024 and 2025. The call encouraged collaboration with neighbouring Local Authorities. 15 Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community projects were successful, one of which is Living Artfully. Four all-island projects supported as part of the Shared Island Initiative will also see Local Authorities work with partners in Northern Ireland.