Biography of What’s the Story? Collective:
What’s the Story? Collective are an interdisciplinary group of young adults, youth leaders, community youth workers and an artist. Since their formation in 2008, they have built a dialogical practice based on a set of horizontal working relationships and a shared interest in exploring personal narratives, investigating power relationships and making art. The resulting work is multifaceted and multi vocal and operates across sector. To date it has taken the form of reading events, film, dialogues and workshops as well as the development of a mobile structure for conversation and creative interaction. Since their establishment, the work of What’s the Story? Collective has been located at IMMA, 126, and NCAD gallery and a variety of community and public sites and has engaged a broad range of audiences. In November 2009 their work was internationally recognized when they were invited to participate in the NEU/NOW festival in Vilnius, Lithuania as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations.
What’s the Story? Collective emerged from a set of existing relationships between artist Fiona Whelan and staff and young people of Rialto Youth Project (RYP) who began working together in 2004. The collective has had up to 12 members but currently consists of 7: Fiona Whelan, Nicola Whelan, Jamie Hendrick, Garrett Kenny, Michael Byrne, Jonathan Myers and Nichola Mooney.
Individual Biographies:
Central to the Collective is Artist Fiona Whelan whose practice is motivated by relationships of difference across sector, culture and background A committed practitioner in the field of socially engaged art practice, Fiona has positioned her practice over time in Rialto where she was instrumental in the development of What’s the Story? Collective, intending to push the boundaries of engagement between young people, Youth Workers and Artists. In 2009 Fiona completed an MA Art in Public at Interface in the University of Ulster and continues to teach on the Postgraduate Diploma in Community Arts Education at NCAD.
Nicola Whelan has engaged with RYP since she was 9. Since then she has had a continuous engagement in art projects beginning with the Mapping project at IMMA in 1998, then a local visual art group ‘Dolphin Art Group’ engaging in many public works in Ireland and abroad, followed by What’s the Story? Collective. Nicola believes in the power of art to bring about change.
Jamie Hendrick has been involved in RYP since he was 8 and has engaged in visual arts groups ever since, including Mapping, Dolphin Art Group and most recently What’s the Story? He has engaged in many public talks and written articles about the significance of Art in his life. In 2008 he started volunteering with RYP and is also involved in the Hemispheres Project (European Youth Action training).
Garrett Kenny starting volunteering in RYP in 2008 after which he joined What’s the Story? Collective. Prior to that Garrett was a site manager and metal fabricator. He has a keen interest in drawing and making. Garrett wishes to become a Youth Worker and plans to begin his Degree at NUI Maynooth this year.
Michael Byrne has been part of RYP since he was 13. All that time he has been involved in art projects including a Land Art Project in Fatima, public murals at the Fatima Luas stop and in Philadelphia and a number of plays. Since 2005 he has been volunteering in RYP and hopes to become a Youth Worker. In addition to volunteering, he still participates in many arts based projects including What’s the Story?
Jonathan Myers has been involved with RYP since he was 8. He had his first involvement in an art group through the Mapping project with IMMA and then through a local visual art group who engaged in sculpture and mural projects including a public mural in Philadelphia. He has had a 9 year engagement with visual arts in total. Jonathan’s primary interest is in history and politics and the systems within Irish society. He is also interested in creative writing.
Nichola Mooney completed her degree in Youth and Community Work in NUI Maynooth in 2003 after which she became a full time Community Youth Worker in RYP. From a young age Nichola has been involved in drama and dance, which she now uses in her work with young people in Rialto. In 2008 she engaged in training with Augusto Baol in Berlin. Nichola believes in the importance of collaboration in her work and in the added value of working with people from other disciplines.