Ireland

Over the past number of years, Songschool has grown and now also specialises in delivering unique and customised music education projects for various other groups, local authorities and bodies; one such example being the cross border (Northern Ireland) Shankill/Shankill Music Project which received the Co-operation Ireland Highly Commended Project of the Year Award in 2002. Songschool delivered the world’s first Percentage for Arts Music Project in Milltown, Co. Kerry in May 2005 with Iain Archer (Ivor Novello Winner) and during 2007, the Skerries Community Intergenerational Project. Songschool’s transnational projects to date include a music workshop in Charleville, Western Queensland, conducted with students from the Distance Education Centre (a.k.a School of the Air), and an original intercultural arts project, An Sorcas Ceoil, delivered in Bad Friedenwielde Germany in conjunction with government agency Rural Dublin Leader Company. Currently Songschool are facilitating a transnational project between students from Rush Co Dublin and El Prat De Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.

Publishing books, translation programmes, literature events, etc.

Our primary purpose is education and research, but both staff and students are involved in smaller musical projects which either take them abroad, bring musicians to us, or teach music from around the world. We have strong connections with Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the USA and the Maghreb. Recent workshop/ performances involved North Indian musicians and African groups are also on our concert programme. In 2007 the department will be represented in Tlemcen, Algeria, where Irish traditional musicians will work with an Andalus ensemble. In March a contingent from Tlemcen and Oujda (Morocco), will come to Cork to perform and provide workshops.

Migrant Voters Campaign
The project through its role on the steering committee for the migrant voters campaign and in collaboration with the Vincentian Partnership for Justice was on board to devise and provide voter education to members of ethnic minority communities. After completing of a day training course, the trainers delivered a programme of voters education sessions across the city in local community centres and places of worship used by migrants. Other materials covering a wide range of integration issues, inter-cultural understanding, anti-racism issues and promotion of models of good practice was also developed and hosted on the project’s website.
Project Facilitated by the Parish Based Integration Programme
Failte Balbriggan is a primary example of successful facilitation by the Parish Integration Project and faith based groups and local statutory agencies. The project has been set up to assist the integration of new communities into Irish society in North County Dublin. In doing so, it helps provide a range of social services primarily to refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable immigrants in the North County Dublin area. It is a collaborative project between CMS Ireland, the Vincentian Refugee Centre (VRC) and the HSE.
Failte Balbriggan Project services
True integration must be a two-way process and therefore the project has been established with multi-sector involvement, including local churches, schools and community groups. The service based in Balbriggan comprises of a drop in centre with evening opening hours to be a base for the provision of the following services:
• Dedicated point of contact and introduction point to a range of local statutory and voluntary organisations including: Co-operation Fingal, Community Welfare Officers, Public Health Nurses, Schools, FAS, GAA Clubs, Soccer Clubs, Accommodation Advice.
• Educational advice and referral
• Employment seeking assistance, advice and referrals
• Homework club including a local one to one mentoring programme to encourage integration
• Provision of space for groups to meet and interact
• Men and women’s support groups
Summary
The integration of immigrants has a strong local dimension. Whilst immigration applications are likely to be dealt with at the national level, migrants ultimately settle in local communities, and require support from local stakeholders to ease the process of integration. Failte Balbriggan is a ground breaking ecumenical initiative that provides a channel for a range of religious, statutory and non-governmental organizations to respond in a holistic manner to the new needs of modern Ireland.

The main project I am concerned with is the CNS model. My main activities are:
- working at policy level on the State's approach to  multidenominatioanl/interculatural education in State primary schools
- developing and implementing a communications plan around the model, including doing lectures and workshops with trainee teachers in all Initital Teacher Education colleges in Ireland
- working with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on the development of the 'Goodness Me! Goodness You! programme which is the multi-belieff and values education curriculum being used by CNS schools. www.gmgy.ie)
- working with the Directors of over 200 post-primary schools on approaches to religoius education and characteristic spirit of their schools 

Each EVA is designed by the guest curator. EVA 2012 curated by Annie Fletcher, featured a central exhibition selected from over 2000 proposals from 76 countries. Alongside this exhibition were a series of collaborations with local, national and international partners including: ● Exhibitions from The Israeli Center for Digital Art which focuses on media art from the Middle East, Europe, and the Balkans. ● Exit Limerick by Static Gallery, Liverpool examining the politics and complexities of art criticism, published in the local press and aired in a public forum. ● Visual Artists Ireland’s annual Get Together bringing artists, curators and organizations together for a symposium on critical writing, visual art education, information sessions, discussion groups and networking. ● Gracelands a one-day exhibition/festival curated by Vaari Claffey including installations, performances and screenings. ● Keynote lecture by Italian media theorist and activist Franco “Bifo” Berardi.