Recipients of Fingal County Council, Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival Residency Award 2023
Fingal Arts Office in partnership with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Age and Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival are delighted to announce Colette Cullen and James English as the recipients of the Fingal County Council, Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival Residency Award.
Fingal Arts Office in partnership with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Age and Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival are delighted to announce Colette Cullen and James English as the recipients of the Fingal County Council, Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival Residency Award. This award aims to celebrate and support older artists at all stages of their careers working in literature and visual arts.
Colette Cullen, a playwright and James English RHA, a painter, will commence their residencies in the coming months at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in the beautiful, tranquil setting of County Monaghan. The award, which comprises of a four-week residency including a travel and materials stipend, will provide an ideal environment for the successful recipients to research and develop new work with the potential to present outcomes during Age and Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival 2024.
The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Howard Mahony commented, “I would like to congratulate Colette and James on this award and wish them every success with the residency. I am certain it will enable them to concentrate on the development of their work."
Speaking about the award, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly said “I am pleased to announce the recipients of this residency opportunity in partnership with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival. The Council is committed to providing continued support for the creative and professional development of older artists in their ongoing practice.”
When asked about the award Colette Cullen said, "Receiving the Fingal County Council, Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival Residency Award is an incredible boost to my playwriting career as it provides me with the time and space to work on a challenging new project which will have a hugely beneficial impact on my creative practice and my development as an artist.”
And James English commented, “I’m delighted and honoured to have received this year's Fingal Arts Office, Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Bealtaine Festival Residency Award. A residency in such a beautiful place with other creatives is conducive to developing new ideas for my work as a painter. I am so much looking forward to spending time there.”
About the Artists
Colette Cullen is a playwright and theatre director. Her critically acclaimed play WHEN RACHEL MET FIONA finished a run at The New Theatre in April. A UK production premiered at The Space, London in 2021. Her follow-on play NO PROMISES had a rehearsed reading in The New Theatre in July 2022 and was shortlisted (Honorable Mention) 'Epiphanies New Work Festival 2022' and the 'Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival 2022'. Her audio play FINGERS CROSSED dropped on Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, Chicago’s ‘Half Hour Radio Hour’ in May. She will direct an Irish production for Near FM in 2023. Her audio play BLIND DATE dropped on Near FM in February. Her play FAMILY TREE, longlisted for the Papatango Prize 2019, had a rehearsed reading at ATC Studios, New Jersey in October 2022. She co-wrote the Chicago-set, prize-winning audio crime drama series DEEP SHADOWS for Eclectic Full Contact Theatre. Her short plays EVERYONE'S SORRY and SHOPPING DAYS continue to be internationally produced.
James English is a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy and is renowned for still life and landscape paintings which respond to his interest in nature and ornithology, often capturing shadow patterns, abstract forms and reflections in water. He served two terms as a Board Member of the RHA School and the RHA Programme Board. He also served as a member of the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland from May 2017 to May 2020 where he was Chair of the Acquisitions and Exhibitions. His work is held in many private and public collection both in Ireland and abroad.
Images courtesy of the artists
When Rachel Met Fiona, 2022 by Colette Cullen. Directed by Iseult Golden featuring Eilish McLaughlin (left) & Emma Dargan-Reid (right). Photographer: Al Craig
River Sedges, 2023 by James English, Oil on canvas, 75 x 60cm. Photographer Gillian Buckley
For further information please see:
www.fingalarts.ie www.tyroneguthrie.ie www.bealtainefestival.ie
