Artist Connect 2025
Contemporary Visual Art subsidised Mentoring Programme.
Big Look in partnership with Kilkenny Arts Office is offering this online mentoring programme designed to provide subsidised access to a mentoring programme in contemporary painting/drawing practice to artists living and working within the Kilkenny County Council administrative area.
This mentoring programme will provide a framework and set of tools for artists to reflect on their existing painting practice and find new opportunities to develop and refine a cohesive vision for their work.
Ten funded participants will join the programme working together online with an in-person session hosted by the Arts Office in Kilkenny in May.
Applicants must participate in an online information session about the mentoring programme on January 28th at 5.30pm.
The mentors
The following mentors will deliver the mentoring programme content. Each mentor is a practicing artist with an established art career. The artists were selected to provide distinct but complementary perspectives.
Gabhann Dunne
- Colour and composition as core values
- Different systems of painting
- How painters use these systems in their work

Ciara Roche
- Identify your strengths
- Find ways to create work with limited time
- Through feedback and group discussion
- Put words on what you do and contextualise it

Maurice Quillinan
- Studio practice and time management
- How to promote yourself and your work
- How to engage with others in the art world
- How to plan and execute for an exhibition

Eligibility:
You are eligible for this onlne mentoring programme if you are resident in Kilkenny County Council administrative area for a minimum of two years and are interested in developing an existing painting or drawing practice through a structured group mentoring programme online.
This programme is funded by the Arts Office, Kilkenny County Council.
A maximum of 10 applicants (mentees) will be selected to join the cohort through a competitive application and selection process.
You must confirm your availability to participate in all modules of the programme by joining weekly online sessions and completing assignments.
The deadline for applications will be 23:59 on 10th February with selected mentees announced thereafter. The mentoring programme will then run from March- May 2025 (see below for more details on the format and participation requirements).
Application process:
- Applicants must participate in an online information session about the mentoring program on January 28th at 5.30pm
- Applicants must fill out the online form - see link below
- No hard copy applications will be accepted
- While your progress on the application will be saved automatically, we recommend applications must be completed in a single session. Therefore, please have the following answers prepared before you fill out the application form:
- How this mentoring programme will advance your practice (max 200 words)
- External influences that inform your art practice
- How you see or would like to see your art practice developing in the next 5 years (max 200 words)
- 3-5 examples of your own work not to exceed 10 MB per image
- Current artist CV with list of artistic achievements to date
If you have any questions about the mentoring programme that are not answered on this page, you will have the opportunity to add these to your application. We will do our best to respond to these questions in advance of the selection process.
Selection process:
Mentees will be shortlisted by the Big Look administrator and Artform programme director on the basis of:
- The quality of information provided in the application form
- Clarity in how the programme will help the applicant advance their existing practice
- Ambition for developing artistically in the future
- Suitability to benefit from all 3 modules
- Availability and expressed committment to full participate in the programme including weekly online sessions and assignments
- Priority will be given to new eligible applicants
The mentors delivering then modules will the choose 10 successful candidates from the shortlist through consensus and successful applicants will be notified.
Funding
Funding provided under this mentoring programme will provide for subsidised participation in the programme. Instead of the full price of €515, participants will only be required to pay a support fee of €100, thereby lowering substantially the cost for participation.
The funding made available by Kilkenny County Council will be administered by Big Look in partnership with mentors in the provision of modules. Hence, it is very important that successful applicants participate fully in the programme. Participants will be required to pay their subsidised fee of €100 to Kilkenny Arts Office. their place on the programme will not be secure until this payment has been paid to Kilkenny Arts Office.
Format and participation requirements
The programme will be split into 3 distinct modules, each delivered by a different mentor as follows:
- Gabhann Dunne
- Maurice Quillinan
- Ciara Roche
The 3 modules will run over the course of March - May 2025.
In order to be able to benefit from the programme, you should have the ability to dedicate up to 10 hours per week to the programme for project and assignment work. This includes a commitment to attend a 90-minute live session every week with the entire group.
Terms & Conditions
- You must be over 18 years old on the date of application to apply for this funding
- You must be resident for two or more years in Kilkenny County Council administrative area to avail of this programme
- Deadline for receipt of applications is 23:59 on 10th February2025
- Canvasing of applicants to mentors/organisers of this programme will result in disqualification
- Scheme will be for online mentoring only
- Funding provided under this programme to be administered by Big Look in the provision of mentoring hours and is non-transferrable
- A payment of €100 must be paid to Kilkenny Arts Office to secure your place
- The time commitment for each mentee will be 10 hours per week and includes video calls, assignments on-site sessions hosted by Artform School of Art
- Successful applicants must have access to a laptop, desktop computer or tablet with a fast internet connection
- Candidates are completely responsible for ensuring that the device being used is in full working order
- Online mentoring will be conducted using Big Look online mentoring tools and Zoom or a similar video call solution
- Each successful applicant will be assigned a free Big Look account
- Big Look accounts created in this way are subject to the terms and privacy policy of Big Look and can be cancelled if desired at the end of the mentoring programme
- Owing to GDPR considerations, your consent to this programme, will allow for sharing of your contact details with the mentors and the Arts Office in relation solely to this mentoring programme
- Mentees will be required to fulfil any assigned work arising from the engagement with mentors over the period of the programme
- Mentees will be required attend direct video calls or on-location sessions weekly. Video calls may be recorded or facilitated by Big Look
- A pattern of non-attendance in agreed calls or failure to fulfill assignments, may result in balance of award being transferred to another shortlisted artist
- Mentoring applications must be within the disciplines of painting and/or drawing only.
- The decision of the selection panel of mentors will be final, no correspondence will be entered into regarding decisions.
- Logistics in relation to participation will be communicated in a letter of offer
- We reserve the right not to make an award at the discretion of the selection panel
FAQ
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I am unable to participate in the online information session on January 28th, can I still apply?
Yes you may still apply. If you intend to apply but are unable to attend the information session please let us know by emailing [email protected] we will then send you a recording of the information session.
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What painting and drawing mediums will be supported through this mentoring programme?
Applications are open to artists working across all painting and drawing mediums. The mentoring will not be primarily focused on technique, but on helping artists evaluate their own practice and uncover opportunities to develop.
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What art styles will be considered for the programme?
Artists working in any style or guided by any philosophy will be considered. The artist's work should be possible to position within contemporary art practice. We encourage you to check out the work and biographies of each of the participating mentors to get a sense of the range of expertise available within the scheme.
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I am an art student in college, can I apply for this funding?
This award is primarily targeted to support early to mid-career practicing artists. However, we will also consider art students who can demonstrate how online mentoring will help to address a gap which is not currently being satisfied through the college or course they are attending.
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What do I do if I am unhappy with how things are progressing or if I have a complaint?
Any feedback or complaint can be made in confidence at any time during the program. We will treat all feedback seriously and will work on a case by case to resolve any difficulties and arrive at a resolution.
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What technology is required to participate in the mentoring programme?
To participate in the scheme you must have either a laptop, desktop computer or tablet with a fast internet speed. Your device must be relatively up to date and capable of running Zoom and other free software that may be required over the course of your mentoring. As much of this programme is delivered online, we assume that you are computer and internet literate and comfortable with using technology to browse the web, make online purchases, take part in video calls, edit documents and have basic file management skills.
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I would like to participate in just one of the modules. Can I still apply for funding?
This scheme requires full participation in all 3 modules. You may participate in one or more modules by paying the standard unsubsidised fee.
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Can I secure my place by paying the full price and also apply for the funding?
There will be some limited spaces available at full cost. You will have the opportunity in the application form to declare that you are able to join the programme at the full cost. In the event that you are not selected for the subsidy, we will award additional unsubsidised places at full cost. Ability to join at full cost will have no bearing on the decisions of the selection Indicating that you are able to participate at full cost will not affect your eligibility to receive the subsidy grant.
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What day and time each week will the live online group sessions take place?
There will be a live group session each week on Monday from 1pm - 2.30pm (TBC). To get the most value from this mentoring scheme, please ensure you have availability at this time.
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I have a question about the mentoring programme that has not been answered here, what can I do?
Please address any additional questions you have about the scheme to [email protected] and we will get back to you with an answer.
Affiliations and sponsorship
We are grateful to the Arts Office Kilkenny, the Arts Council and Artform for their support


