Outsider artists get a look-in

Skibbereen festival examines the relationship between mental illness and creativity, says Richard Fitzpatrick

THE fourth annual Skibbereen Arts Festival starts today. Mental illness and artistic expression underpin this year’s programme, says Pat Collins, secretary for the festival.

“There’s a strand running through the festival, about what I would call ‘outsider art.’ We’re having an exhibition of work from the KCAT arts studio in Callan, Co Kilkenny. They’re a Camphill Community. There are Camphill Communities all over the world. There are a couple of them in Ireland, which are, basically, for people with special needs who have an opportunity to work as artists. Some of their work is extraordinary.