Exciting Projects in Cork and Waterford!
Exciting Projects Launched in Cork and Waterford
Fighting Words has partnered with Graffiti Theatre Company and Waterford Youth Arts to provide creative opportunities for children in Cork and Waterford, supported by the RDS Foundation!
In recent weeks we have had the pleasure of seeing the culmination of two projects funded by the RDS Foundation in Cork and Waterford.
Thanks to the support of the RDS, young writers from schools across Cork and Waterford have had the opportunity to let their imaginations flourish and develop their storytelling skills!
Cork - The Changes Projects
In September, Fighting Words Cork at Graffiti Theatre Company set out to deliver eight primary school workshops to DEIS schools in Cork. Led by Fighting Words Cork Coordinator Ann Marie O’Sullivan, The Changes Project was a creative storytelling workshop about exploring transformation, imagination and change.
During the workshops, the team took some ordinary items (an apple, a shirt, and a calculator) and used them to spark a conversation around storytelling and changes. They talked about backstory, the lives of the items and what might happen to them in the future. And that was just the beginning...
After brainstorming story ideas for these objects, the young writers got to work making their own story as a class. It was time to let their imaginations run wild! The groups created some essential illustrations to accompany their stories.
The team recorded the stories for a video to capture the creativity and stories from each of the groups, launched in November.
Check it out below!
Waterford - Story Makers Volume One
Fighting Words Waterford, based at Waterford Youth Arts, launched Story Makers Volume One in November, an inspiring anthology of original stories crafted by students from national schools across Waterford.
Despite some very challenging weather on the day of the launch, 130 young authors gathered at Mount Sion National School to celebrate their creativity, thanks to the dedication of the Waterford Youth Arts team, our amazing partners and the home of Fighting Words Waterford.
Story Makers Volume One is the anthology result of imaginative workshops facilitated by the Fighting Words Waterford team, where children created unique and very imaginative stories! The stories in the book celebrate the fantastic voices from primary and secondary school children and young people from schools across Waterford. Readers can journey through adventurous worlds and meet wondrous characters.
Each class worked together to write their collective story before writing their own endings and drawing illustrations and comics - some you may see throughout the book,
Creative journeys
Pierina Campbell, Scaling Education Project Officer at Fighting Words, supported the teams in both Cork and Waterford throughout both projects. Commenting on the experience, she said, “Collaborating with the Fighting Words Waterford and Cork teams, as well as the incredible young storytellers was truly uplifting. The imaginations were extraordinary, and being part of their creative journey—while exploring such idyllic corners of Ireland—was an experience I’ll treasure.”
Congratulations to all the young writers involved in creating these stories in Cork and Waterford. These projects were run by Fighting Words Cork at Graffiti Theatre Company and Fighting Words Waterford at Waterford Youth Arts respectively.
The project partners are grateful for the support of the RDS Foundation, who make programmes like these possible and give young authors the write to right.
Related Links
- Read Story Makers Volume One in Publications
- Learn more about Waterford Youth Arts here
- Learn more about Graffiti Theatre Company here
