Young people get creative at Luan Gallery for Cruinniú na nÓg

Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artist Studios welcomed children, young people, and families from across the region on Saturday, June 6, for a day of free creative activities as part of Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland's national day of creativity for children and young people.

Cruinniú na nÓg is a national day of free creative activities for children and young people under eighteen, taking place across the country. Developed as part of the Creative Ireland initiative, the programme encourages children and young people to engage with the arts and experience creativity in their local communities.

This year’s programme at Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artist Studios included artist-led workshops and a guided sketching tour of Luan Gallery’s current exhibition Divergent Lines.

Guided by visual artists and the gallery team, children explored the artworks on display in Luan Gallery, practiced drawing techniques, and developed their own creative ideas and visual styles through experimentation with materials such as graphite, charcoal, and pastels.

The day of events included a series of artist-led activities designed to encourage creative exploration and engagement with contemporary drawing.

The day began with an Introduction to Drawing workshop led by visual artist Katie Lynch, who guided participants through a tour of Divergent Lines before introducing a range of drawing techniques using graphite and charcoal in a workshop at Abbey Road Artist Studios.

Through a series of practical exercises, children were encouraged to experiment with contrast, tone, and gesture while developing confidence in their own creative abilities.

A family-friendly guided sketching tour of the exhibition invited children and their parents or guardians to explore the gallery through drawing, using observation and mark-making as a way to respond to the artworks on display.

The programme concluded with a drawing masterclass workshop at Abbey Road Artists' Studios led by local visual artist Rob Quinn, where participants were tutored in the use of charcoal and pastel to compose landscape scenes and portraiture through drawing.

Throughout the day, children and young people were encouraged to explore new materials, develop their own visual ideas, and engage with contemporary art in a fun, supportive, and hands-on environment.

Cruinniú na nÓg at Luan Gallery and Abbey Road artist studios was kindly supported by Creative Ireland and Westmeath County Council.