Entertainment and the Arts
Excel - Youth Arts Programme
By Orlagh Heverin
21, Nov 2012 - 19:16

This is the tenth year of Mayo County Council Arts Office annual Youth Arts Programme EXCEL which runs throughout the month of November. This programme is designed for teenagers and young adults (13 - 19) and provides specialised Workshops and Masterclasses for groups already involved in the arts and one highlight of this years programme are workshops for TY students in Junk Kouture.

Kicking off the Excel programme Mayo Youth Orchestra received a Masterclass from the WhistleBlast Quartet and closed the day with a colourful performance. Charlestown Arts Centre was alive with music as DJ Paul Cunningham gave a workshop with Charlestown Fóroige. In conjunction with Cliara Development Company, DJ Paul Cunningham and Clare Island Fóroige were spinning the decks in a workshop on Clare Island. Crimlin pipeband, Batafada, received Masterclasses in Drumming with Stephen Doyle and Samantha Duffy and look forward to a Masterclass in Piping with Terry Tully. Achill Pipe band received a Masterclass in Drumming with Jim Butler this weekend (23rd Nov).


This week sees a start to the creative Junk Kouture workshops, when over a 120 students from Ballina, Swinford, Belmullet, Charlestown, Tourmakeady and Castlebar will attend workshops with Mayo Artsquad. Mayo County Council Arts Office were delighted with the response to attend these free workshops which booked out in no time. The workshops offer participants an exciting opportunity to work in a creative space alongside skilled artists to experience and explore working with recycled materials. These workshops are not part of the Junk Kouture competition, however information regarding the Junk Kouture competition will be available and participating groups can use this opportunity to prepare and work through ideas for the competition.

Mayo Youth Theatre, Ballina, look forward to a Team building and Improvisation workshop with founder of the Corn Exchange Theatre, Actress and Director Annie Ryan. Ty Students from Davitt College, Castlebar will have a workshop in removing barriers in creative thinking with Steph Troy.

November is packed full of artistic activities and Mayo County Council Arts Office would like to thank all those involved in Excel.

For further information contact the Arts office on T: 094 90 24444 ext 7558/7471, E: mayoarts@mayococo.ie