Creating new works bigger than the sum of their parts

During the financial crash in 2008, Fishamble: The New Play Company conceived the Tiny Play idea to help writers stay creatively engaged during challenging times. When the first lockdown hit in March 2020, they saw it as an opportunity to revisit the concept with a new partner.

‘Fishamble and ESB had been talking for some time about possible ways to collaborate,’ says Fishamble’s artistic director Jim Culleton, ‘and the tiny play model which Fishamble had previously explored seemed like a great fit to ESB. They liked the fact that it would allow a range of different perspectives in response to what a brighter future means to artists, that could be shared with audiences.’

ESB’s purpose is to deliver a brighter future for the customers and communities they serve. As an organisation committed to taking urgent action to tackle climate change by eliminating carbon from the energy system, ESB recognised that the Tiny Plays could be an innovative means to engage the public in a conversation about climate change. They commissioned Fishamble to create Tiny Plays for a Brighter Future; a challenge for writers to capture what a Brighter Future means for communities across Ireland, in a 600-word tiny play.

Over 350 submissions were received, and three of the ten shortlisted playwrights had their work produced, staged, and filmed by Fishamble. In addition, Fishamble delivered staff engagement workshops for ESB.

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Addressing the needs of both partners

For Fishamble, there were obvious synergies between both organisations’ aims.

‘Fishamble is committed to creating theatre that addresses urgent issues of our times, so was enthusiastic about exploring issues of climate change and sustainability. ESB was committed to working with arts partners to examine these issues and has a proven track record of collaborating with artists, so was keen to work with Fishamble, says Jim. ‘It felt like the best kind of partnership, where each organisation could achieve its goals, but in a way that would not have been possible without the other.’

Fishamble also took the opportunity to approach the production, staging, and filming of the plays with a sustainability focus. Costumes either belonged to the actors or were borrowed, or sourced from charity shops. No single-use set pieces or props were made, director Jim Culleton instead used the theatre itself as a set and backdrop.

Gerard McNaughton, creative director with TileStyle, and judge for this year’s Awards was particularly struck by the depth of engagement from both parties saying ‘the project stood out on many fronts to me, it was very considered and balanced in addressing the needs and desired outcomes for both partners.’

‘I was also impressed with how deep-rooted the collaboration was, from identifying ESB’s needs and desire to talk about climate change and the need for clean electricity to Fishamble’s core goal to engage new writing at a community and national level.’

Creating together to honour a memory

In April 2021 Emmet Kane, a woodturner and maker from Kildare, was invited by John Sisk & Son to visit a newly created Memory Garden at Sisk HQ. He was asked to work with Sisk’s employees and apprentices to create a new sculptural piece in memory of Dave Tracey, the former manager of the John G Sisk Training Centre.

As an organisation with a proud history of over 160 years in the construction industry, John Sisk and Son’s philosophy “Great Oaks From Little Acorns Grow” was an inspiration to create a piece that would inspire & reflect the memories of those who have been part of The Sisk organisation.

It was the first time that Sisk had developed a creative partnership, and offered the staff a way to engage with a new creative process from start to finish. The staff and trainees discovered new skills and techniques, which encouraged them to think in new ways about the materials. Emmet encouraged the staff to ask questions while explaining the thought process and techniques behind each element of the sculpture.

For judge Bevin Cody, corporate reputation manager with ESB, this collaboration gets to the heart of the Best Use of Creativity in the Workplace Award:

‘It combined the creativity and talent of the artist with the skills and values of Sisk’s employees and apprentices to create a really beautiful tribute to the former manager of the training centre and all those who have been part of Sisk’s history over the decades. Through the collaboration, staff and apprentices gained a deeper understanding of the creative process and how the skills they have developed in the construction sector can be applied in a more creative context to beautiful effect.’

Involvement from end to end

Not only were the Sisk staff involved in the creation of the final piece, the team in the training centre participated in every stage of the project from sourcing and fixing the stainless steel, designing the steel to hold the sculpture in place, the engraving of the Ogham, and assembling and erecting of the final sculpture.

In honour of Dave Tracey’s memory the sculpture, entitled ‘Cuimhní Cinn’ was created from Irish Oak that grew in Maynooth Co.Kildare where he lived. Emmet sculpted the piece in his studio in Castledermot before transporting it to the training centre to be finished in collaboration with the team. Emmet’s heritage as a fifth-generation craftsperson and someone with experience in the construction industry meant that he was able to communicate with the team in both a practical and artistic way, making the partnership all the richer.