Creative Lives is delighted to announce one Artist Residency and three Artist Commissions for our Creative Places, Edenderry project.

All four of the artists have strong connections to Edenderry, and will spend the next few months working closely with the local community there on a range of participatory creative projects.

Here's what they'll be doing:

Dagogo Hart (pictured bottom left)

Connection to Edenderry: "I worked with Festival in a Van and Youth Work Ireland Midlands on What Makes a Man, delivering poetry and spoken-word workshops with young men at The Acorn Project in Edenderry. That work has given me an active connection to the town’s young people, youth workers, Creative Places, Edenderry and the wider arts scene." Visit Dagogo's Instagram page

Artist Residency: Beyond the Oakwoods is a 6-month, socially engaged poetry, music and performance residency with young people in Edenderry. The Residency will support young people to create original poems, spoken word pieces, lyrics, and music that will be developed into a short poetry and music EP/audio project. 

Helen Keenan (pictured top right)

Connection to Edenderry: "I am a multidisciplinary artist based in Rhode, Co. Offaly, working across dance, drama, poetry, and visual art. I have a strong socially engaged practice, and an established history of delivering community-based creative projects in Edenderry and the surrounding area." Visit Helen's Instagram page

Artist Commission: Illuminating Life is a visual arts project that will take place during Mental Health Month in October 2026. Helen will work with students at Oaklands College, using creative conversations and lantern-making workshops to explore themes of hope, connection, courage, self-expression and community support, culminating in a school-wide illuminated exhibition.

Jenny Bergin (pictured bottom right)

Connection to Edenderry: "I'm a freelance artist living in Edenderry and working within the community. I facilitate workshops for both adults and children. I do private murals and commissions and use a wide range of art forms. Community is very important to me and I'm delighted to have this opportunity to work with this new group." Visit Jenny's Facebook page

Artist Commission: Colours of Brazil will see the creation of a large mural on the wall of the Brazilian Church, which all members of the community (adults and children) will design. There will also be another mural, created elsewhere in Edenderry (location tbc), meaning that Brazilian culture will be brought out of the Church and into the community, increasing awareness of the diversity within Edenderry.

Mairéad McGuinness (pictured top left)

Connection to Edenderry: "I live down the road in rural Carbury, which makes Edenderry my closest town, and my son goes to school there. Throughout my work with Creative Places, Edenderry I have made friends with, and worked alongside, other artists and creatives in the area - and I'm so delighted to be part of that solid support network." Visit Mairéad's Instagram page

Artist Commission: A Field Guide to Edenderry - Weaving Community, Creativity and Biodiversity will celebrate not only the flora, fauna and landscapes of the area but also the vibrant diversity of its community groups and creative activities. Mairéad will work with Edenderry Community Garden and The Disability Group, as well as running a bat drawing workshop open to the public. The final Field Guide to Edenderry (Almanac style) will include: 

• Original illustrations and watercolours inspired by workshops and fieldwork;
• Biodiversity map highlighting key areas;
• Fun anecdotes, nature observations, and myth-busting facts;
• Reflections from participating community groups.

We'll share photographs, videos and more of all of the above projects later in 2026.