#WeAct 👏🎭🎨🎼 is a campaign to celebrate the impact of Ireland’s charities and community groups. It elevates the positive stories and acknowledges the remarkable, everyday efforts of thousands of people around the country.
Our very own Roisin Lonergan was featured on We Act Stories as the founder of The Five Lamps Arts Festival and this is her story:
“I was working as a teacher in Marino College teaching drama and education to young people who were going to be working in the youth work and childcare sector. I realised a lot of the students from the area had never been to any of the national institutions like the National Art Gallery or the theatre and they really didn’t think they belonged there.
I set about bringing these students from my classes to these institutions and trying to make it more accessible as this went on, I decided, maybe I could do the tours myself for my students and really honour the artworks and productions. I knew there were a lot of people in the area who were artists and wanted to celebrate their work with the community. So, we started the festival.
I’m really passionate that people have access to the arts and that they see the arts as a beginning for themselves and as a way of exploring their world. It’s such a great way for young people, and people of all ages, so we spend a lot of our energy putting these events on, not just during the festival but throughout the year.
Art should be everywhere; it shouldn’t just be a special treat for a select few and with that philosophy we’ve created so much, and we’ve come across so many interesting artists and members of our community
Once we get that person interested, if they can find one thing they like, then that might lead them to something else. They’re building their knowledge and cultural competency all the time. It really can be kind of the beginning when people can come to these events, and it starts opening up an entire new world and creates new communities and new ways of thinking.”
If you want to find out more and get involved in #WeAct campaign, visit their website HERE
