
Community Conversations
WHAT'S THE STORY TUAM?
Join us for a series of discussion events with artists, residents, community groups, and business people from Tuam and beyond.
Our Ory’Sta: Talking on Tuam Series is the space where Tuam and Create get to know one another, for the voices of Tuam to take centre stage and introductions to strategic allies and partners can happen.
This is a space for real conversation and listening to take place that can and does directly impact and inform our programme of work.
Our first conversation welcomed Leo Moran, Tuam local and musician and Ailbhe Murphy, artist and Director of Create to our virtual fireside, to talk with Carolann Courtney, Programme Coordinator, at the close of the first year of Creative Places Tuam.
The second conversation featured David Burke, editor of the Tuam Herald, and Tom Flanagan, artist, filmmaker and educator, in conversation with Keelin Murray of Create. Creative Places Tuam is all about the place, the people, and the stories of Tuam and its hinterlands. How do we tell the story of ourselves, of our town, of our history?
The third Ory’Sta conversation was between Thinking on Tuam Resident Artist Oein De Bhardúin, curator Megs Morley and Owenie Ward, and took as its theme Nomadic Archives. This conversation allowed us to start thinking together on how we ensure the culture of the Travelling Community is centred in Creative Places Tuam.
Our fourth Ory’Sta conversation was originally pesented as part of the 2021 UK- based Creative People and Places programme conference. This conversation, filmed in Tuam town hall, features inaugural Thinking on Tuam resident artist Oein DeBharduin, film-maker David McDonagh, community development worker Maggs McDonagh and visual artist Joanna McGlynn.
In April 2022, no longer confined to a Zoom screen, we were thrilled to welcome artists and community members to discuss creative place making, in our very first live in-person Ory’Sta, featuring Maureen Kennelly (Director, Arts Council), Patrick Fox (Director, Heart of Glass) and Ailbhe Murphy (Director, Create). Tuam is a unique place with many deeply embedded artistic and cultural habits and practices. This made for a rich conversation between all of our guests, including addressing how different communities can engage creatively to build the version of place they want to be a part of? How can artists be key partners in this work? How will Create and Tuam continue to work together to realise their shared visions? We discussed legacy, and the importance of ensuring that the great work already started can continue, when Create’s role in the project finishes at the end of 2023.