I’d like to share with you some feedback from our recent National Youth Arts Showcase in July. The annual showcase offers youth arts groups from around the country the opportunity to platform their work and to speak directly to public representatives about their experiences of participating in the arts.
This message was received from Angela McLaughlin, Music Development Manager at Donegal VEC Music Education Partnership in the hours after the showcase as the Errigal Youth Orchestra group journeyed back home:
Huge thanks for the invitation, hospitality and wonderful experience had by all the members of Errigal Groove Orchestra. We truly were delighted to participate & also to welcome the opportunity to be part of a national campaign for something close to all our hearts, and to have had the opportunity to meet & mingle with other youth arts groups & of course people of influence!
Last night’s workshop was also a great success and while it certainly challenged members of our group, it was so good to take them out of their comfort zone & encourage them to find their own individual voices, form opinions & discuss things that of course directly affects & involves them but of which they hadn’t really thought about, really considered or openly talked about before.
I do hope we have an opportunity to work with you all again in the near future.
Best wishes,
Angela
(From our mini-bus on the way back to Donegal…..another 30 mins to go!)