Chelsea Canavan’s work within Arts & Health is underpinned by a strong process-led and collaborative approach and over 10 years experience of working creatively with children and teens. Their practice is focused in visual art, socially engaged practice and participatory arts with themes centering on belonging, space/place, inclusivity, voice and creative exploration. Chelsea uses methodologies that involve active listening, observation, documentation and collaboration; followed by reflection and group specific participatory activities and co-production to facilitate and plan workshops, interventions, and spaces. Their practice is multi-disciplinary and utilises a broad range of media including; drawing, collage, construction, sound, video, animation, and conversation writing. Art and creating that occur are rarely pre-planned, but are always meticulously reflective of and shaped by the particular group and space involved, while staying focused on a participant-led process and centred on well-being. Outcomes are equally informed by Chelsea’s own response to the participants, past and present encounters, and reflection on the creative process itself.

Helium Arts and the Limerick Health Hub

Helium Arts’ Creative Health Hub model is a creative approach to bring innovative, multidisciplinary projects to children and teenagers across Ireland living with health conditions. In each Creative Health Hub location, Helium’s artists deliver a continuous year-long programme of activity connecting between hospitals, community and public settings. To learn more about current programmes visit Helium’s website, check them out on Facebook or follow them on Instagram.

Age and Opportunity

Forthcoming 2023 – Bealtaine Project in collaboration with Sound Artist and Creative Associate Andy Spearpoint