University College Cork announces open call for 2025 Artists-in-Residence

18 Sep 2024

• Funded residences now open for applications.
• Residencies part of UCC’s commitment to support the work of artists across disciplines.
• Residencies are designed to provide artists with unique opportunity to develop their practice in a university environment while offering students the opportunity engage with practising artists during their studies.

University College Cork (UCC) is now inviting applications for the university’s 2025 Artists in Residence programmes. UCC hosts six artist residencies in partnership with The Arts Council, Literature Ireland, Nano Nagle Place, Cork Opera House and Ealaín na Gaeltachta. Residencies are offered in Film, Irish Language Arts, Literary Translation, Theatre, Traditional Arts and Writing.

The residencies aim to give artists time and space to develop their own practice, in addition to offering opportunities to come together to explore and present their work across readings, concerts, screenings, performances and other presentations. Artists also engage with students, staff and the local community through workshops and outreach events.

Jools Gilson, Director of UCC Creative and Professor of Creative Practice said: “We’re very proud of the calibre, diversity and disciplinary range of our Artist in Residence programmes here at UCC and the opportunities these give us for ongoing collaboration with distinguished professional arts organisations.”

“We’re delighted that sean-nós singer Conchubhar Ó Luasa has been appointed as the 2024 – 25 Irish-language Artists in Residence / Ealaîontoir Conaitheach and that our New Irish Theatre Artist in Residence extends UCC’s University of Sanctuary programme to support a professional artist who is also an international migrant, refugee or asylum seeker,” Jools said.

Partner funding for all Artist in Residence Scheme comes from UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, and the artists are hosted in four of its Schools -
English and Digital Humanities (Writer in Residence), Film, Music and Theatre (Film Artist, Theatre Artist and Traditional Artist in Residence), Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Literary Translator in Residence), and Irish Learning (Irish Language Artist in Residence).

Professor Cathal O'Connell, Interim Head of UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, said: “The College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences have a longstanding commitment to hosting Artists in Residence at UCC. We’re especially delighted that these opportunities have expanded to six artists a year, and we’re privileged to be so enriched by their collective and individual presence on campus and in the Cork community.”

The hosting of multiple artist residencies at UCC is particularly distinctive within the Irish context. The Arts Council generously co-funds three of these; the Writer in Residence is the longest established at more than thirty years, the Film Artist in Residence has just celebrated its tenth year, and the Traditional Artist in Residence is now in its eighth year.

In addition, UCC hosts three other Artists in Residence programmes – the Literary Translator in Residence co-funded by Literature Ireland and Nano Nagle Place now in its fourth year. The Theatre Artist in Residence co-funded by Cork Opera House as part of our long term partnership is now in its fifth year, and our newest scheme – the Irish-language Artists in Residence / Ealaîontoir Conaitheach, generously co-funded by Ealaín na Gaeltachta is now in its second year.

Sean Kelly, UCC Arts and Culture Officer said: “Creative arts are a core part of the experience of UCC and help to give the university its unique character. We’ve worked with some incredible artists over the years and these upcoming residencies will be no different. We can’t wait to get the process underway.”

The following programmes are now open for application:

UCC/Arts Council Film Artist in Residence 2025
UCC/Cork Opera House Theatre Artist in Residence 2025
UCC/Arts Council Traditional Artist in Residence 2025
UCC/Arts Council Writer in Residence 2025

For information on the UCC / Literature Ireland / Nano Nagle Place Literary Translator in Residence 2025, please contact Dr Martin Veiga on m.veiga@ucc.ie