The Ark cultural centre for children in Dublin’s Temple Bar is a haven of happy, carefree stimulation – but its biggest ongoing challenge is finding funding for its operations
RECENTLY, IN THE Children’s Literature in Education Journal, Prof Kathy Scott wrote an interesting essay, entitled Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: Challenging the Mythology of Home in Children’s Literature. In it, she declared that children’s books had gone from a place of rural idyll and cosiness (what about evil step-parents and errant smugglers?) to one where “childhood is not the happy, carefree time it is ‘supposed’ to be”.
Ironically, I read this article as I sat in the Ark in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Scott’s vision of childhood seemed miles away from that of my own two children, running around having their senses overloaded. The cultural centre aimed at children is a hub of stimulus and discovery and an antidote to padded play centres. Every year, because of its uniqueness, international delegates visit as part of research into child-centred cultural spaces.
Director Eina McHugh believes that teaching children creativity is as important as the traditional school curriculum. “We approach things from a ‘rights’ perspective. We believe that every child has a right to a cultural life and we see the incredible impact that artistic engagement can have on a child’s life. I’ve been observing the increasing statistics surrounding childhood depression and research that shows that connecting children to creative expression, exploration and artistic stimuli, can really shore up their development and sense of self.”
Founded in 1995, the Ark is principally funded by the Arts Council, the Department of Education and Science, the Temple Bar Cultural Trust and Dublin City Council. It also relies on corporate and individual “ark angels”.
“Funding is difficult at the moment,” says McHugh. “Funding for children is even more problematic. There is no correlation between population demographics and the amount of money that’s set aside for young people in education. Our youth population is very high compared to other European countries but we don’t have the same per head funding for the arts.”
The Ark also has to rely on box office income, unless funding or sponsorship is available to make entry to events free.
During the course of the interview, one topic that resurfaces constantly is about starting children early on cultural journeys. Many people have a central figure growing up who encouraged them in a creative pursuit (in my case, a bookish aunt, who sowed the seeds for my lifelong love of books).
A hobby with deep roots in early childhood can embellish a child’s development and imagination. It’s something McHugh is passionate about. “We see this with artists we work with or funders who want to give something back. Many say that somebody – just one person – made a real difference in their artistic lives. Often, it’s an adult who encouraged them to read or draw or go to a play. We’ve heard about children who had a difficult time growing up, or who hadn’t yet found their best self. Then along comes someone who starts them on the path to reading, writing, drawing or performance . . . and it makes a huge difference. And it’s not just about parents – a lot of people who don’t have children can be the encouragers.”
Naturally, summer is one of the busiest times for the centre, and McHugh explains that, as well as being open to the public, the Ark runs programmes for school groups. Over the course of one year, there are typically 15 programmes, with different focuses.
The latest programme is Awakening Curiosity, which focuses on biodiversity. It comprises an interactive art exhibition, a Food Chain of Life game, a shoal of 150 recycled metal fish hanging from the ceiling and a laser animation snail trail. On the upper floor there is both an indoor and outdoor garden, where children can draw and create using recycled materials.
Typically, programmes run for six weeks in various disciplines. Music- and theatre-based events work well due to their flexibility and group focus. Programming far in advance can be difficult due to uncertainty over funding.
“Ideally, we like to have two to three years to plan, but because we’re so dependent on annual funding, this is not really possible. Our audience is growing so fast, so we need to have time to plan for a child, say, who will be six in three years’ time.”
Technology is increasingly seen as a foe to children’s development, with televisions and games consoles blamed for the decline in reading. It’s an unhelpful generalisation, especially in relation to iPad apps and interactivity, with book-to-iPad apps such as the Lonely Beast. “We’ve been doing research with the Irish Film Institute about digital media,” says McHugh, “looking at the creative potential of technology. We try to make sure that there is an ethos of activity, not passivity, and of creativity and imagination, and that is very hard to do well. Traditionally, a lot of what’s on offer to children technologically is passive.”
Now in its 18th year, the Ark seems to be thriving, but McHugh is aware of external factors and their influence. There is a children’s referendum on the horizon, new legislation on child protection, as well as huge population shifts. She points out that, in the last six years, there has been a 30 per cent increase in the 0-14 age group and that 27.5 per cent of the population here are aged under 19, making Ireland the EU country with the highest proportion of young people.
What does she hope for the Ark’s future? “I hope we are taken as seriously as other cultural institutions in the city. The Ark has equal artistic value and we want that work to be appreciated. It’s a gem.”
Awakening Curiosity runs until August 6th. ark.ie
