The above group attended a practical one- day training course for young people as representatives of Cranmore Community Co-operative, exploring leadership qualities through the use of the arts in the new Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny. The training aimed to support and inspire groups to deliver a community project or activity immediately following the course. This training was carried out as part of our programmes under Peace 11 funding from Border Action which is part financed by the European Union Peace and Reconciliation Programme.
During the course of the above training day our youth participants produced a wall hanging which showed the various activities in which they had taken part over the past year. The group had debated about a name for themselves and finally settled on (‘Branching Out’) to incoroprate the concept of young people growing into the future. This name is also synonymous with the name Cranmore which derives from the Irish (Crann Mhor) the Big Tree. This concept of branching out is incorporated in the wall hanging which can be seen above. It is planned that this art piece will be displayed in our new drop in centre which we expect to open in the near future.
Following on from this the youth are presently engaged in discussions to engage in a Community Graffiti Reduction Programme. Part of this programme would envisage the youth getting involved in art projects to divert young people from destructive graffiti. It would also be hoped to engage in a positive art programme such as producing murals on hoardings and sculpting pieces for exhibition in the Cranmore Estate.
Cranmore Co-op is currently engaged in joint discussions with the Sligo Leadership Partnership Company, the Arts Office Sligo County Council and with the support of Slgo Regeneration Office to obtain funding from the Dept of Justice Equality and Law Reform for these type of projects.
