16 October, 2014

CIT cranked up the creative tempo recently by way of a collaborative venture with Marvel Comic Book artist, and CIT Multimedia graduate, William Sliney. ‘Creative Space Cork’ is a pilot programme that provides a dedicated, open studio space for freelancers, students, emerging artists and professionals in freelance digital industries to come together in a shared creative environment.

The mystique of the creative process has long been the topic of much debate and curiosity and advancements in technology have fuelled the ability for people in creative industries to work from almost anywhere. Traditional office settings can prove to be creatively stifling, where openly discussing ideas is generally discouraged out of respect for other office members. In the Creative Space Cork studio, open discussion is encouraged, spontaneity rules and creativity is the common denominator.

The concept is the brainchild of Sliney, who was inspired by the generosity shown to him by some of the great artists he has had the opportunity to work with so far in his career. Though much of Sliney’s work is based on fantasy, there is no question that his ideas are very much focused on making things happen in reality and at a local level. Creative Space Cork is an open movement that facilitates a shared learning approach. This open environment serves to help eliminate the barriers in the creative industry and encourage communication, collaboration and the cross pollination of ideas amongst those sharing the space. The idea is that the more established professionals that work in this open studio would mentor in an open forum style, in an effort to bridge the gap for those artists looking to break into the industry.

The programme has been supported from a number of different departments within CIT as well as Cork County Council Arts Office. Shaun O’Connor; an award winning film director & CIT Multimedia BA Hons graduate, and Concept Artist, Eva Widermann joined Sliney in mentoring attendees over theweek-long pilot programme. 

With the Year of Design 2015 fast approaching, Cork Creative Space showsa lot of promise for a more permanent fixture in the near future in Cork. We look forward to watching this movement grow and take its place in the region. For more details on the Creative Space Cork initiative visit https://www.facebook.com/CreativeSpaceCork