Cork arts initiative invites migrant art workers to apply for €20k theatre bursary

Launched in 2019 and jointly funded by Cork Opera House and UCC, the programme helps influence the Opera House’s theatre programming but also benefits the students of UCC’s Department of Theatre. File picture: Des Barry

Migrants who worked professionally in the arts before relocating to Ireland have been invited to apply for a pioneering €20,000 'theatre artist in residence' bursary in Cork.

It is the third year of the initiative, organised by Cork Opera House and University College Cork (UCC).

Launched in 2019 and jointly funded by Cork Opera House and UCC, the programme helps influence the Opera House’s theatre programming but also benefits the students of UCC’s Department of Theatre.

The first artist appointed under the bursary was playwright and actor John McCarthy, who used his residency to develop Whale, which premiered on the Opera House stage during Cork Midsummer Festival in 2022.

For the 2021 residency, applications were invited from neurodiverse theatre artists, and Jody O’Neill was appointed.

She had a remarkable impact on both the Opera House and UCC, providing essential guidance and consultancy for the theatre's first ever ‘relaxed performance’ of its family panto in 2022, and she curated the inaugural Neurofestivity, which invited a number of emerging and established neurodiverse multi-disciplinary artists to participate in the first festival of its kind in Ireland.

Next year’s residency aims to provide an opportunity for a professional theatre artist who is also an international migrant, refugee or asylum seeker and who has migrated to Ireland or sought refugee or asylum status because they couldn’t practice in their home country because of conflict or persecution.

Jools Gilson, UCC's Professor of Creative Practice and academic director of the UCC-Cork Opera House partnership said all involved are very proud of the bursary's legacy.

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“Both institutions believe that celebrating and promoting diversity in the artists they work with is key to shaping a cultural sector that is inclusive, compelling and meaningful," she said.

“This residency aims to provide a supportive and inspiring environment where the artist can freely explore their practice, share unique stories and deepen their relationship with the vibrant Irish theatre scene."

Cork Opera House CEO, Eibhlín Gleeson, said the residency programme continues to push open the doors of inclusivity and accessibility to both institutions and provides a platform for underrepresented voices in the arts.

“We have much to learn from the ‘new Irish community’ and this is a key opportunity for us to welcome and integrate one of our newest artists into our community,” she said.

The next residency runs from January to December 2025 and the closing date for applications is Friday, October 25. Full details are available at corkoperahouse.ie.