Art & Crafts
The Arts Marquee featured art exhibitions and a range of workshops for adults and children alike.
Chad - Life in the Heart of Africa
Exhibition Area, Arts Marquee
In May 2008, photographer Hu O Reilly - from Cavan - travelled to Chad to document life in the Central African country. His trip was supported by the Simon Cumbers Media Challenge Fund.
This exhibition of photographs captured Hu's travels in Chad. The exhibition was comprised of powerful portraits and stunning landscape images, which brought a slice of Africa to Dublin. The images were bright and simple and showed African life in a positive and colourful way. Some images that featured in the exhibition can be seen here.
Further information about Hu O'Reilly's work is available here.
World Design
Exhibition Area, Arts Marquee
World Design was created as a retail concept in 1998 in Gaborone, Botswana, by Annig Barrett. Recognising an opportunity to bring the exciting world of design from local enterprises to the marketplaces of Europe, in early 2006 Annig opened an outlet in the Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin. Since then, World Design has gone from strength to strength, showcasing an exquisite handmade range that reflects the quirky signature of African design.
World Design works with talented African designers who have created products of outstanding quality. The designs have global appeal yet maintain a quintessentially African flavour. Products are sourced from job creation projects with fair trade principles.
A selection of World Design products was on display at 'Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens'. Further information about World Design is available here.
Art and Craft Workshops
Story-Telling and Origami Animals with the Hugh Lane Gallery
2.30-3.30pm (4-7 year-olds) and 3.30-4.30pm (8+), Kids' Zone, Arts Marquee
In June 2009, Dublin City Gallery - The Hugh Lane - is publishing a book of African short stories for children called 'Horses and Tortoises'. To celebrate the publication and mark Africa Day, some of the women from AkiDwA, the African Women’s Network - who were involved in compiling the book - told fables and children's stories during 'Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens'. These were interactive workshops with storytelling and the opportunity to create African-inspired origami animals. Further information is available here.
African Art & Crafts
Every 30 minutes from 12.30pm onwards, Arts Marquee
Fun art-based activities took place in the 'African Art & Crafts' gazebo throughout the day. Children made bookmarks adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphics and entered the drawing competition ('I went on safari and what did I see?...') to be in with a chance to win some fabulous Africa Day t-shirts.