Kildare County Council is pleased to announce an open call for artists and/or creative partners to work with communities in Maynooth and Maynooth University on Climate Design Lab, a creative climate action project with the aim of exploring human-centred design thinking principles and approaches as a progressive and dynamic model for community engagement and behavioural change.
The Climate Design Lab is based in Maynooth town, the lead Decarbonizing Zone (DZ) for County Kildare. The project will co-create, design and test innovative solutions for addressing climate change that encourage positive behaviour change in a creative, practical and human-centred way. Using principles from Design Thinking and Behavioural Economics i.e. ‘Fun’ and 'Nudge Theory', the Lab will involve collaboration between local residents and Maynooth University students, directed by experts in Design, Climate and Creativity from the local authority and the university.
About the Climate Design Lab
The Climate Design Lab is supported by Creative Ireland’s Creative Climate Action Ignite Fund. The Creative Climate Action Fund II, launched in 2023 supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empowers citizens to make meaningful behavioural changes.
The Climate Design Lab utilises human-centred Design Thinking principles with Fun Theory as a progressive and dynamic model for community engagement. Throughout 2025 the Lab will develop products (innovations) that meaningfully shift the public’s understanding of climate change, and of their responsibility in its mitigation.
The Climate Design Lab will bring together community groups from across Maynooth, with creative partners to work creatively and collaboratively to examine decarbonizing in their communities, identify themes that matter to them and promote localised behaviour change.
It is intended that the positive experience of creatively engaging with The Climate Design Lab will support individuals within communities to shift perspectives to find new ways to respond to old challenges, and empower community-based champions in the Climate Conversation. It is envisioned that the innovations piloted in the Maynooth Decarbonizing Zone will be replicable in towns and villages across Ireland in their efforts to address climate change locally.
The Lab will use creativity to empower communities by provoking conversation, increasing understanding, and making actions relatable and achievable to individuals within communities. It is intended that the Climate Design Lab will have long-lasting impact in the community in terms of the individual and also the actions of the Local Authority and the University which include the Maynooth Decarbonizing Zone and wider Kildare Climate Action Plan, Demonstrator House, research and monitoring programmes including public space maintenance to enhance biodiversity, Grass to Gas, IRESI, ReNEW and other programmes.
Kildare County Council Climate Action and Arts Service teams now welcome applications from qualified creatives and artists for a number of opportunities within the Climate Design Lab project.
Climate Design Lab Artist in Residence
Artists and/or collectives from all disciplines are invited to submit Expressions of Interest for the Climate Design Lab Artist in Residence.
The artist(s) will be embedded within the community in Maynooth, County Kildare, observing and responding to the work of various stakeholders involved in the Climate Design Lab including Kildare County Council Climate Action team’s Decarbonizing Climate Officer, Principle Investigator Dr Amy Fahy, Maynooth University, the Department of Innovation MU, creative collaboration partners and community focus groups. The residency will require in-person visits/meetings with the various stakeholders across the duration of the residency. Artists are expected to form a creative response to the research and data collection and subsequent innovations developed through the Climate Design Lab. We are especially interested in artistic practices/projects that that tell the story of the Climate Design Lab data and bring it to life to engage communities beyond the timeline of the project.
This opportunity is open to professional artists and/or collectives who have experience in collaborative or socially engaged arts practice, artists whose practice is informed by data or deep research, artists with an interest in climate action and related themes including but not limited to agriculture, water, energy, biodiversity, waste management, transport etc. Artists should be resourceful, assertive, experienced in leading artistic projects of a similar scale and number of stakeholders and have the ability to problem solve on their own initiative.
The Climate Design Lab Artist in Residence will be based in the Community House, Maynooth. The residency award (€25,000) will include all fees, materials, equipment and associated costs. Estimated 2 days/week access to designated desk space, enabling the Artist in Residence to be present to engage with partners, attend workshops, focus groups etc.
Key dates:
- February 2025: an introduction to the project by the Climate Action Officer, Arts Officer and Dr Amy Fahy from Maynooth University, including introductions to key stakeholders and focus groups.
- February – November 2025: engagement with the data collection and analysis being undertaken in the Climate Design Lab to help to activate its story.
- June – December 2025: Artist(s) will develop and create their own work in response to their engagement with the project. The outcome from this work will depend on the individual's practice and the proposal submitted.
- The residency duration is February – December 2025.
Submission Deadline:
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 12th February 2025, 12:00pm (midday)
Submissions will only be accepted via the online application form.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
It is advantageous to include supporting material that enhances your submission. Applicants should not assume that the assessment panel are familiar with your work or your previous funding history. The panel will use the supporting material to get a better understanding of both your track record and that of your creative collaborators.
We suggest that applicants try to submit their information early in case of technical difficulties. Should they arise, please email arts@kildarecoco.ie and we will endeavour to respond as soon as possible.
Assessment and Decision:
Applications are assessed taking the published assessment criteria into consideration. Assessment Criteria:
· Track record working professionally in chosen art forms(s) / creative practice(s)
· Artistic merit, innovation and collaborative nature of the proposal
· Feasibility: Budget and proposed timeline
Applications are assessed and shortlisted in a competitive context and with consideration of the application form and the supporting materials submitted.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on Friday 21st February.
All applicants will be advised of the panel's decision by email.
The Climate Action team and Arts Service are not in a position to provide feedback on individual applications.
Grant aid provided by Creative Ireland and Kildare County Council must be acknowledged in all publicity material associated with the project. Kildare County Council reserves the right to publicise the awarding of residencies.
Kildare County Council reserves the right not to award bursaries/grants at its discretion.
Access
You can apply for additional costs if there are access needs relating to your application. These can be personal access costs or costs for making your work accessible to others. Personal access costs might for example include costs towards additional time needed to complete your project or additional assistance required to deliver your proposed project. Costs for making your work accessible to others might include having an ISL interpreter, using an audio description service, making your content compatible with screen readers or producing materials in other formats such as in Braille or audio. Any such requirements should be outlined in your application and a budget and breakdown of costs should be provided. These costs may be above the maximum award amount for this grant and should be noted as an additional expense.
Supporting Material:
It is advantageous to include supporting material that enhances your application. Applicants should not assume that the assessment panel are familiar with your work or your previous funding history. The panel will use the supporting material to get a better understanding of both your track record and that of your creative collaborators.
More information:
Your attention is also drawn to
safetocreate.ie, where you will find more information about the Safe to Create Dignity at Work programme which aims to impact change on the culture and practices of the arts sector in Ireland to provide safer working conditions for artists and arts workers.
Steps to complete and submit your application form
- Read the call out
- Click Apply and Register
- Create a new Profile or review your existing details. Please include a valid email address with your application – this will be used for all future correspondence relating to your application.
- Check your email to confirm your registration
- Complete the online application form. This form can be saved in draft for you to review and edit at a later time.
- Upload Supporting Material
- Send application form
- Verify email address (check your email for a copy)
- Submit application
If you need help to complete and submit your application we want to hear from you. For further queries/information on the Climate Design Lab Artist in Residence
please email
emdonnelly@kildarecoco.ie