As I begin another year of my residency with the National Gallery of Ireland, I have been reflecting on one of the most meaningful aspects of the No Words project, the opportunity to work alongside local community organisations supporting people from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences.
Over the past year, since becoming the Galleries first resident Cultural Art Therapist in Jan 2025, I have been fortunate to collaborate with organisations including Dublin City Co-op, delivering Cultural Art Therapy sessions for people seeking asylum in Ireland. Through these partnerships, the Gallery has become more than a place to visit; it has become a welcoming space where people can meet others, engage with art, explore their own creativity and begin to build a sense of belonging.
Starting a new life in another country can be incredibly isolating. Many of the people attending these groups are navigating unfamiliar systems, new cultures and, in many cases, significant uncertainty. Within the Gallery, however, everyone begins from the same place. There is no expectation to know about art or to speak in a particular way. Instead, we spend time looking, reflecting and creating together, allowing conversations and connections to develop naturally.
One of the most rewarding parts of facilitating these groups has been watching people who arrive as strangers gradually become friends. Over a series of sessions, participants begin to recognise one another, share experiences, laugh together and support each other's creative process. Art often becomes the starting point for conversations that may never have happened otherwise.
The No Words project continues to demonstrate how Cultural Art Therapy can create opportunities for connection within cultural spaces. Through engaging with the Gallery's collections and taking part in a facilitated creative process, participants are invited to reflect on their own experiences while becoming part of a wider community within the Gallery itself.
None of this would be possible without the ongoing commitment of the Education Team at the National Gallery of Ireland. From the beginning, they have recognised the importance of making the Gallery a place where everyone feels welcome. Their openness to working with diverse community groups has created opportunities for people who may never have imagined themselves walking through the Gallery's doors, let alone feeling that they belong there.
Sadly, recent events in Ireland have highlighted that racism and discrimination continue to affect members of our communities. They are a reminder that creating genuinely inclusive spaces matters.
This has always been central to my practice. Every Cultural Art Therapy session I facilitate is grounded in respect, dignity and equality. Every participant is welcomed and valued regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. My role is to create a space where people feel safe enough to engage, reflect and be themselves, knowing that their experiences and perspectives will be met with respect.
Art has an extraordinary ability to bring people together. We may all see something different in the same painting, but the conversation that follows reminds us that there is value in every perspective. In a world where difference can sometimes divide us, cultural spaces have the potential to do the opposite—they can create opportunities for curiosity, understanding and connection.
As the No Words project continues to grow, I feel incredibly grateful to work alongside the National Gallery of Ireland, its Education Team and our community partners in creating spaces where everyone is welcome. These experiences continue to reinforce something I have believed since I first began developing Cultural Art Therapy: that museums and galleries can be places not only of culture and history, but also of belonging, reflection and human connection.