KILDARE ARTS SCENE: Sparking conversations on mental health

The Riverbank Arts Centre is delighted to partner once again with First Fortnight to bring a programme of events and activities built around the arts-based mental health charity.

First Fortnight’s annual festival, held throughout January, celebrates the arts as a powerful catalyst for sparking unscripted conversations around mental health and serves as a vibrant platform for connection, uniting individuals through shared artistic and cultural experiences.

The festival aspires to redefine the opening of each new year by making it synonymous with heightened mental health awareness, actively challenging societal prejudices, and eradicating the pervasive stigma surrounding mental ill health.

Riverbank has a wide range of events and activities throughout the month of January to celebrate the festival. For art lovers there will be a range of workshops, from mixed-media collage to smartphone photography to working with clay, presented by artists Martina McDonald, Brian Cregan and Marta Golubowska.

Befriending My Monster by Selma Daniel Dance (Saturday 13) invites children on a journey down belly button lane to explore those big feelings that they may not know how to talk about yet.

Starring Patrick Kielty

There will be a special screening of Irish film Ballywalter (Monday 15), starring Seána Kerslake and Patrick Kielty. As with previous years Riverbank will hold their First Fortnight Family Day (Saturday 20) which features Prose & Pose: Family Yoga Fables, Manga Workshops with artist Amy Louise O’Callaghan, and a screening of When Marnie Was There.

Kate Escolin will host the first in a series of Sketchbook Clubs (Thursday 18), which aims to provide a safe space to create. Poet Nell Regan presents an Online Poetry Workshop for Long Haulers (Thursday 18), which is specially designed to support those with Long Covid (along with other isolating conditions such as CFS/ME).

Gemma Walker-Farren and Echo Echo Dance Theatre Present GHOSTS (Friday 19), a one woman show which is about our relationship with fear and how that takes many different forms over the course of a lifetime.

The Creative Well come together once more for Sharing the Archive – Creative Well Book Launch & Reflection (Saturday 20).

Escape Room

Max Zanga of Tebi Rex brings Filmore! Escape Room Experience (Friday 26 and Saturday 27), which will be followed by a live performance on the Saturday at 7pm.

Riverbank Arts Centre Venue Director Caroline Williams says; “Riverbank Arts Centre is delighted to partner with First Fortnight each year, and this festival offers an access point for many at a particularly challenging time of the year.

“This January we have programmed a broad range of workshops (photography, mark-making, ceramics, poetry and more), theatre, screenings, talks and family events. We look forward to welcoming artists and audiences to our venue for some joyful arts experiences and connection.”

From cinema screenings to creative workshops, theatre to family events, there is something for everyone this First Fortnight at Riverbank Arts Centre.

Tickets for events can be booked through the Box Office, either in person or by telephone on 045 448327 Monday to Friday 9.30am-5pm (closed for lunch 2-2.30) and Saturday 10am-1pm.

Tickets can also be booked on www.riverbank.ie – Online tickets subject to €1 booking fee per ticket.