Prismatic Perspectives Project 2026

A Community Art Project

Prismatic Perspectives: multifaceted, shifting viewpoints that transform understanding, often referencing the kaleidoscopic, complex nature of subjects like history, art, or identity.

Goal of the project:

To open minds, creating space for new ideas, new connections and new understandings by using different perspectives on the same topic. The hoped for outcomes are positive connection, inclusion, experience and pride.

The project aims to do this by bringing nursing home residents, secondary school students and people from the creative sector in Waterford together to create a joint work of art and exhibition that joins memories, learning and creative collaboration together.

Phase 1 - Complete!

We visited St. Joseph's Nursing Home and recorded the childhood memories of residents who volunteered to take part. Recordings will be used as part of the final exhibition and artwork.  

Phase 2:

Match the memories up with secondary school students who might then, if necessary, interview the nursing home resident further on the memory to flesh it out. The young person then does some general research on when and where the memory occurred for background understanding. They then create an artwork inspired by the memory. In phase 2 secondary school students will exercise their art research and concept art skills. The organiser, Niamh, a tutor and MA graduate, will provide guidance where necessary.

Phase 3:

Anyone who has been involved in the project so far is invited to take part in a discussion on the information and art gathered and begin brainstorming with the professional artists for the final collaborative artwork. In phase 3 participants are part of a social engagement art event where everyone at the table has equal standing, regardless of heritage, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and so on.

Phase 4:

The original memory recording, the research and/or student artwork and the outcomes of the panel discussion are then used, in full or in part, to create the final collaborative artwork.

Final Event:

All project participants and the public in general are invited to attend an exhibition opening of everyone’s work, recordings of memories, young artworks, and the final collaborative piece. Hopefully at the Imagine Festival in October. If not, elsewhere.

We are starting Phase 2, we need a sponsor(s), we need creatives and we need a large space to work in when we get to Phase 4. Contact the organiser, Niamh Ni Chearbhaill of Studio Cearuil and the Waterford Creatives Network to take part, comment or sponsor the group and its activities.  Contact Niamh 

*The above image is an AI generated image of a prism with multiple light sources.