Ucc Theatre & Cork Opera House Reveal 2025 New Irish Artists In Residence Programme

Cork Opera House and University College Cork have announced that applications are now invited for their third Theatre Artist in Residence Programme, which is jointly funded by Cork Opera House and UCC.

 

The one-year bursary of €20k is aimed at providing an opportunity for a professional Theatre Artist who is also an international migrant, refugee or asylum seeker. This residency is specifically for Theatre Artists who have migrated to Ireland or sought refugee / asylum status due to the inability to practice in their home country or because of factors such as conflict or persecution.

 

Jools Gilson, UCC's Professor of Creative Practice and Academic Director of the UCC-Cork Opera house partnership commented, “Our last Call for a Theatre Artist in Residence was for an artist who identified as Autistic. The playwright Jody O'Neill was appointed and made remarkable inroads into transforming thinking about neurodiversity and the arts, both at UCC, Cork Opera House and further afield. We're very proud of this legacy, and excited to launch this next Call for the UCC - Cork Opera House Theatre Artist in Residence for 2025.”

Both institutions believe that celebrating and promoting diversity in the artists they work with is key to shaping a cultural sector that is inclusive, compelling and meaningful. This residency aims to provide a supportive and inspiring environment where the artist can freely explore their practice, share unique stories and deepen their relationship with the vibrant Irish theatre scene.

 

CEO of Cork Opera House - Eibhlín Gleeson said, “Cork Opera House is delighted to partner with UCC on this important initiative. With this Residency, we continue to push the doors of inclusivity and accessibility open to both of our institutions and provide a platform for underrepresented voices in the arts. We have much to learn from the New Irish community and this is a key opportunity for us to welcome and integrate one of our newest artists into our community.”

The 2025 Call for a Theatre Artist in Residence is framed and supported by UCC's University of Sanctuary programme which provides scholarships and fellowships for students, researchers and academics who are refugees and asylum seekers.

                                                                                                                                                      

Professor Ursula Kilkelly, UCC's VP for Global Engagement said of this announcement, “As a University of Sanctuary, UCC is delighted to partner with Cork Opera House in its 2025 Call for a Theatre Artist in Residence, specifically for those who have migrated to Ireland or sought refugee / asylum status. This initiative complements and extends UCC's Sanctuary Scholarship and Fellowship programmes and consolidates our commitment to the need for creative work to support asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland.”

This Theatre Artist in Residence programme is one of the pillars of the Creating Together partnership between Cork Opera House and UCC. Funded jointly by Cork Opera House and the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science at UCC.

 

The residency runs from January to December 2025 and the closing date for applications is Friday, 25 October 2024. For more details and to apply, visit www.corkoperahouse.ie.

 

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