Reflections on the 40th anniversary of Waterford Youth Arts
Last month I had the honour and pleasure of MCing (and performing a few poems & sketches) at the 40th Anniversary of Waterford Youth Arts . A celebration of creativity in the City Hall of my old home town!
Many moons ago I started my fledgling creative pursuits at Waterford Youth Arts as an actor/director/writer/producer/tea maker, and it shaped my sense of creativity and artistic connection in really profound ways.
To see so many generations of artists in that room, whose lives had also been touched by that supportive, creative community, was really emotional and beautiful.
Former members, younger and older (some of whom have since gone on to star in the likes of culturally significant work like Bridgerton and The Children of Men), took to the stage last night and humbly & thoughtfully shared their talents, recounting tales of how the organisation had built their confidence, connections and creative ambitions.
In the spirit of the creative playfulness of the evening, I even asked my eldest son to join me onstage to perform a play that I had written when I was his age (back in those formative creative years). He bounded up and delivered a brilliant comic performance on the spot, which filled me with pride, and felt like a truly full circle moment.
Organisations like Waterford Youth Arts, and others like it, are the engine room of connection and community in so many towns and cities around the world. Often run by volunteers and passionate professionals, they provide a vital human focal point for ideas to be aired, ambitions to be realised, a safe place to be yourself, and, most importantly, to bring people together for LIVE creative experiences.
And those human connection points (in a shared creative experience) are the future I want to continue contributing to. In-person gathering will continue to become increasingly important as we enter the AI age and creativity has never been more important.
Because creativity will always be the great connector in the universe.
If you’re interested in bringing my creativity and magical, multilingual MC skills to your next event, then clickety click below to learn more . Still have questions? Book a free 30-minute consultation here or send me an email.
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