Top educators and artists meet in Limerick for annual 'highlight' of teaching calendar

AN ANNUAL highlight of the education calendar for one Limerick college is fast approaching.

Leading speakers from the world of art will give the keynote address to launch The Art of Connection Teacher Education conference at TUS Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD), taking place from Thursday, May 8, to Wednesday, May 14.

Eamonn Maxwell and Marie Farrington will share their insights on the importance of connecting arts practice to teaching and learning to a wider ecosystem, beyond the classroom.

Eamonn Maxwell has worked as a curator and advisor in the visual arts for over 20 years. He has curated numerous exhibitions across the world including the Irish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2011. 

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Marie Farrington is an artist whose practice reflects on the act of making through geological and archaeological lenses, using casting, carving and other sculptural processes.

Another artist, curator Fiona O’Dwyer, will launch the exhibition of artwork created by second-level students under the guidance of student teachers this academic year while on school placement.

Fiona O’Dwyer is a visual artist and curator based in Ennistymon, County Clare, with an Honours Degree in Fine Art/Sculpture from LSAD.  She works with a wide variety of materials and processes, from stone carving to film making.

Mike Fitzpatrick, dean of LSAD, said: “One of the highlights of LSAD's calendar is the annual Teacher Education exhibition and conference, which offers a significant public forum for showcasing a carefully selected exhibition of art, craft, and design projects created by second-level students nationwide under the guidance of our students.  

“This is complemented by robust conversations with guest presenters and staff around the potential of the arts for connectivity into wider society.”

Conference attendees are invited to also visit the 3rd year B-Ed student exhibition ‘Tethered and Becoming’ which runs in the People's Museum Limerick from Tuesday, May 6 to May 9.

On Wednesday, May 14  the conference closes with a talk about ‘Art and the Pedagogical Theme’.  Dr Robert Kilroy will be in conversation with LSAD Initial Teacher Education staff Brendan Egan, Bairbre Geraghty, Edel Hogan, Ciarán Power and Lucina Russell at 1.30pm.

Two 2024 LSAD graduates, Anna O’Leary, recipient of the inaugural Limerick City Gallery of Art Test Space Residency, and Shannen Slattery, winner of the LSAD Artist-Teacher Award, will also address the conference.