Launched in February, the ReCreate Revolution is an exciting new Arts and Creative Reuse Project which is being introduced across the country. ReCreate currently collect materials from over 80 businesses across Ireland; including Avoca, Bewleys, TileStyle, Botany Weavers, Ikea, Print solutions, Lily O’ Brien’s, Smurfit Kappa and many more! In turn these materials are made available for creative reuse to its members in Early Childhood Education, Schools, Colleges, Community or Special Needs Groups as well as individuals for art, craft, theatre and creative projects of all kinds.
Promoting Make Art not Waste, the ReCreate Revolution team are reaching out to communities nationwide. Using exciting materials from their storehouse, which has been called the ‘Warehouse of Wonders’ by its members, they aim to facilitate over 100 FREE workshops around Ireland. These workshops, for children and adults, will take place in schools, crèches, at community events and educational venues as well as in ReCreates ‘art’ room on site, in Ballymount Industrial Estate, Dublin 12. They will be facilitated by professional artists using items that are a delight to the senses such as wool, paper, plastics, fabric, tubing and foam. They are tactile and ‘hands-on’, enforcing visual learning, decision making, inventiveness, problem solving and communication and motor skills which are integral to the development of the learning process.
Workshops for teachers and carers who want to develop their creative practice and up-skill through the visual arts will also be offered. These will explore the possibilities of creative activities through reuse that are relevant to the principals and themes of Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework and the Primary and Post-Primary school curriculum. They will demonstrate how the creative process can be integrated into the learning environment and enhance the educators own teaching practice.
Having received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Local Agenda 21, ReCreate will launch this programme to inspire creativity, curiosity and encourage the people of Ireland to join forces and get making. Because of the diverse source of these materials they spark invention and ingenuity when used creatively. This sets them above the usual range of art materials purchased when working with children or adults in some educational settings.
Hundreds of ‘ Reuse Toolkits’ have also been designed. These Cardboard Boxes will be filled with a selection of the materials from ReCreate. The toolkits will be delivered to over 500 groups around the country to be explored creatively, inspiring curiosity and lateral thinking within the classroom, crèche and community while also considering the positive impact reuse has on our environment.
The ReCreate team are hoping to reach approximately 10,000 people across Ireland throughout the duration of the ReCreate Revolution, both through workshops and the delivery of Toolkits. Through sustained access to ReCreates materials, the main aim is to enhance self-development and mental health with activities that stimulate play, curiosity, imagination and out-of-the-box thinking in children and adults alike. Ultimately the project will promote Creative Reuse and help grow the concept. By supporting teachers, educators and carers ReCreate will help nurture creativity within the next generation in a way that is cost effective for those who struggle with arts budgets.
The ReCreate Storehouse in Ballymount, Dublin 12, where all of the materials are available on a regular basis, will remain at the centre of everything throughout the year. With over 600 members, the ‘Warehouse of Wonders’ is continuing to mature each week. Not only are the stock levels rising, but the variety of high quality materials available to the members who visit, continues to grow. Annual membership at the ReCreate Storehouse starts from as little as €60 and allows its members unlimited access to the materials for 12 months. It really does need to be seen to be believed!
By the end of one of the workshops, the ReCreate team will guarantee that it’s participants will never look at everyday materials the same way again.
If you would like to register your interest in a one of these unique workshops, simply email Louise at Losborne@recreate3.wpengine.com and join the revolution today!