Earth Explorers at The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children

This summer, The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children invites everyone to step inside and be part of Earth Explorers, Visual Arts Summer Programme for 2009. A range of fun, imaginative and affordable activities are on offer all summer long. Engage with our environment through arts workshops, summer schools and a free exhibition.

The free Earth Explorers exhibition is open at The Ark from Tuesday to Sunday for everyone to enjoy and explore. Our world is a constant playground for creativity and nature has always been a source of inspiration. Looking through the eyes of emerging and established Irish contemporary artists the Earth Explorers exhibition is designed to encourage you to explore your surrounding environment and inspire the creative potential in all you see.

Join The Ark for The Garden Party Workshops and Installation where you can make and plant your own piece of art. This summer, with your help and creative input, The Ark’s theatre space is being transformed into a bright and colourful landscaped “garden” complete with sound scapes and an outdoor feel! You can make and plant your artistic creation in our unique garden installation which will be evolving all summer long. Join professional artists Liz Smith, Orla Kelly and Gina Faustino who will lead you in a thirty minute workshop, Thursdays – Saturdays: 10.30am; 11.30am; 2pm; 3pm or Sundays: 2pm; 3pm. Using different artistic techniques you will create artwork inspired by nature and garden life. Choose from a range of workshops where you can make fruit, birds, creepy crawlies and even printed, felted or animal flowers. Join us and help to build our “garden” with your art!

Why not join The Ark for Saturday Workshops? Choose from Micro Gardens, Global Homes, Kite Flights, Sun Shots and Wings in Motion! Or join The Ark’s Summer Schools such as Material World, Green Animation or Developing Nature.

Every Sunday during Earth Explorers is Family Day! You and your family can spend some valuable artistic time together in one of our workshops, have fun with visual arts and create your own special piece of art!  

Earth Explorers takes place at The Ark from Sunday 21 June – Saturday 15 August.

For full programme details, prices and booking please see www.ark.ie, phone 01.6707788 or visit The Ark, 11a Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Earth Explorers at The Ark – Win tickets here!

Win tickets! The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children and Temple Bar Cultural Trust have teamed up to offer one lucky winner the prize of four tickets to The Garden Party, during Earth Explorers, on Saturday 27 June at 2pm.

This summer, The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children invites everyone to step inside and be part of Earth Explorers, Visual Arts Summer Programme for 2009. Earth Explorers is your opportunity to engage creatively with our environment and explore the impact we have on our surroundings through a range of fun, inspirational and imaginative visual arts activities.

Make and plant your own piece of organic art in The Garden Party! The Ark Gardeners, Gina Faustino, Orla Kelly and Liz Smith, will lead you on a visual arts experience to inspire your creative green fingers as you explore the ‘art’ of our garden environment. Our unique artistic garden will be blossoming all summer long with your original creative contributions!

From Sunday 21 June – Saturday 15 August 2009, visit The Ark with your family for The Garden Party; Saturday Workshops; Summer Schools; Family Workshops and a free exhibition. If you can’t wait until then join us on Monday 8 June for a Toddler Morning in The Ark for children aged 1 – 3 years. You and your child will experience interactive visual play, improvisation and exploration of environmental themes through sight, sound, music, space and everyday objects.

For full programme details, prices and booking please visit The Ark website, phone 01.6707788 or visit The Ark, 11a Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

To be in with a chance to win this prize simply answer the following question by 3pm on Thursday 11^th June and forward your answer, full name and contact details to Temple Bar Cultural Trust at info@templebar.ie.

What date does the Summer Solstice fall on this year? (Here’s a hint: it’s the same day as the opening of Earth Explorers at The Ark).

1. 31 October
2. 25 December
3. 21 June

Good luck!