Photo: Alan Place
NELLY’S Corner on Nicholas Street was a fitting launch pad for The GAFF’s July to December programme on June 30: eclectic, colourful, alternative. Sixty relevant bodies gathered to hear Limerick Council’s director of services for culture, Josephine Cotter-Coughlan release word of what’s going on.
Those present with GAFF – a performance art resource centre that engages with all sorts of people and places – were entertained with the culinary, theatrical and street-based output ahead. There will be workshops in various parts too.
Dates and titles are several: ‘Life on the Inside’ for Galway Fringe Festival, July 29 and 30. ‘The People’s Kitchen’ in Tait House, August 26. ‘Through the Cracks’, August to October. ‘Celebrating Cecil St’, home to The GAFF, September 10. ‘Queens of the Island Field’, December 7-9 in Dance Limerick.
Photo: Alan Place
Just three years old, this voluntary organisation, working out of the former Quaker Meeting House and Red Cross Hall on Cecil St., has been developing relationships with communities throughout the city. Building on the success of projects in drama, dance and film, created in collaboration with communities in Moyross, St. MaryÕs, Weston, Knocklisheen and Garryowen in recent years, The GAFF now announces a new programme of events ranging from collective food sharing and jiving to the companyÕs staple, the production of community drama. Picture: Alan Place
Let’s get into kitchen talk for the purpose of this article, the first of several on GAFF’s next months. Over to Monica Spencer, a cultural producer, mostly in community arts and a darn good actress as evident through Belltable: Connect last weekend.
“‘The People’s Kitchen’ is the urban co-op led out be Kate O’Shea. She’s doing a Masters in Print in NCAD and is into activism and anarchy. The hallmark of this event is a collective approach to food and food sharing and up to 10 people are working on it. It’s going to be a really pleasant, family oriented day”.
Approach Roxboro’s Tait House on Saturday August 26, 1pm to 4pm for quality, ethnically sourced food cooked in an open kitchen.
Whooaa, is this art?
“The concept of what art is and the community is changing all the time. There will also be performances or installations of local artists’ work and integrated with music and some film”.
Way to go, for a uniquely Limerick and multi-platform exercise welcomes each of us.
