Cork art exhibition with a difference

Artworks created by children living with medical conditions will go on display in Tory Top Library, Ballyphehane this summer.

Details of the exhibition have been announced by Helium Arts, a charity that works to transform the healthcare experience of young people through art and creative interventions.

“In Ireland, 11% of children live with a long-term health condition or disability and approximately 1% of all children – about 13,000 children – are seriously inhibited in their day-to-day lives,” Heléne Hugel, CEO of Helium Arts, said.

“This can lead to significant social and emotional challenges for them.

“At Helium, we work with young people in healthcare and community settings to offer them art and other creative experiences with a view to improving their wellbeing and mental health.

“We are delighted to be launching a series of summer exhibitions, which will celebrate the creative work of the children and artists involved while also highlighting the value of creativity for wellbeing.”

The exhibition, with the theme of ‘The Natural World, Found Objects and Tactile Processes of Making’, will run from June 7-18 and it is being facilitated by Cork City-based artist Ashleigh Ellis.

It will feature artwork by Helium workshop participants aged nine to 12 to showcase collaborations between professional artists and young participants in the programmes run by Helium in hospital and community healthcare settings.

The Cork exhibition is one in a series of three taking place in Ireland as part of Helium Arts’ Summer 2022 Art Showcase.

In addition to the exhibition, a “family sharing day” will take place on Saturday June 11, with family friendly activities including creative clay work, stencil making, exploring cabinets of curiosity, animations and more.

The exhibition and associated event are open to the public, free of charge.

Further information is available at https://helium.ie/ or by following Helium Arts on social media: @HeliumArts.