Corca Dhuibhne Inbhuanaithe, A Creative Imagining was one of 15 projects funded through the inaugural Creative Climate Action Fund. This fund, managed by the Creative Ireland Programme in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural transformations. Led by the Dingle Hub, and in partnership with the Green Arts Initiative in Ireland , MaREI and the embedded artist Lisa Fingleton, the project creatively explored ways in which farmers on the Dingle Peninsula can diversify to address climate change.
Key to this was listening to the farming community, providing them with a safe space to share their thoughts and concerns, and giving them a voice in the climate discussion. The focus was on supporting ten farm families to identify solutions that would work for them, and to creatively imagine a low carbon farming future for the peninsula and wider society. The farmers went on a number of familiarisation trips to explore options for diversification and sustainable farming.
This short documentary above gives an overview of the project. It is directed by Lisa Fingleton and filmed by Chris Garrett. Editing, music and colour grading by Clint Fitzgerald.
Lisa journaled and drew throughout the process and supported the farmers to visualise their ideas through film and drawing. As part of the project a number of films were co-created with farmers (Voices from the Field / Guthanna ón nGort) as well as a large scale, interactive drawing at the National Ploughing Championship in partnership with Creative Ireland, OPW and IMMA (The Future is in the Fields).
Voices from the Field/Guthanna ón nGort
Voices from the Field/Guthanna ón nGort are a series of short films (80 minutes), reflecting the experiences of the ten farming families who have taken part in in the project. These collaborative films are co-created with the farm families so they can tell their stories and experiences.
They share their connections to the land and the types of farming they are engaged in. They reflect on their learning from this project, their concerns about climate change and their ideas for the future.
The films were premièred at Ionad an Bhlascaoid/ The Blasket Centre in January 2023 and screened at VISUAL Carlow in February 2023. If you would like to schedule a screening please get in touch.
Voices From The Field / Guthanna on nGort, 2023 (Film Trailer)
The Future Is in The Fields
Lisa and the team also worked with Creative Ireland over the three days of the National Ploughing Championship on the Creative Ireland Wall. They produced a large-scale Interactive drawing project (33 metres in length) called The Future Is In The Fields which responded live to the solutions for climate change offered by farmers. After the National Ploughing Championships the 100 foot wall was transported by the OPW to the Garden Galleries at IMMA for the Earth Rising Festival.
The Future Is In The Fields, 2022 (Creative Wall at National Ploughing Championships and IMMA)
Quote from Tania Banotti, Director, Creative Ireland:
“The wall was a big success for Creative Ireland. The sheer level of engagement in terms of visibility and what it was trying to convey was huge, as was the creative way it allowed us to have conversations around climate action. Having the farmers from the Dingle Peninsula and Lisa and Catríona there allowed us to deepen the conversation during the panel discussions. Many farmers seemed intrigued by Lisa as both a farmer and an artist, and that credibility disarmed the initial sceptical reactions from some.”
Quote from the artist, Lisa Fingleton:
“Working closely with the famers on the Dingle Peninsula over the last year and visiting each farm several times has been a real privilege. It has given me a unique opportunity as an artist, to understand their deep connection with the land and their growing concerns about climate change. Together, through drawing and film we have creatively explored their current experiences and their ideas for the future in terms of taking climate action and protecting biodiversity. It was great to see the wider farm families becoming involved throughout the project, including children and partners . The project has created bonds of friendship between the families and real momentum for action”.
PROJECT LINKS
A Creative Imagining / Corca Dhuibhne Inbhunaithe, Dingle 2030/ Dingle Hub, 2021-2023
A Creative Imagining / Corca Dhuibhne Inbhunaithe, Creative Ireland, 2021-2023
Corca Dhuibhne Inbhuanaithe: Lisa Fingleton ar an bhfeirm, Creative Ireland, 15 March 2022
MEDIA LINKS
Artists ‘must move beyond the ego to the eco’ in responding to the climate crisis, Catherine Cleary, Game Changers, Irish Times,13 Feb 2023
Dingle Farmers Celebrating Sustainability, Irish Farmers Journal, Ellen Durkin, 20th January 2022
https://www3.farmersjournal.ie/dingle-farmers-celebrating-sustainability-745232
Short films showcase climate action project with Kerry farmers, Aisling O Brien, 27 Dec 2022
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/short-films-showcase-climate-action-project-with-kerry-farmers/
Butterfly Effect – West Kerry farmers looking creatively at climate change, Irish Central, Catherine Devane, 16th Sept 2022
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/dingle-farmers-creative-climate-action-project
It’s hard to imagine the future: The Ploughing, the climate crisis and the writing on the wall. Lauren Boland, Journal.ie, 25 Sept 2022
Farming and food meets art and community at The Barna Way, Maria Moynihan, Irish Farmers Journal, 22 June 2022
https://www.farmersjournal.ie/farming-and-food-meets-art-and-community-at-the-barna-way-702781
