Commencing the conversation

On 7th September 2022, the Drogheda Implementation Board invited myself and Naomi Fein (Think Visual) to design and facilitate their event "Commencing the Conversation: Tackling Issues Related to Youth Crime through the Arts" event in Drogheda. 

The event welcomed over 70 stakeholders to explore how Arts, Culture, Creativity, and Community can respond to youth-related issues identified in the Drogheda Report and Implementation Plan. 

The agenda we designed featured a range of engaging talks and activities, including a welcome by Michael Keogh, Chair of DIB, setting the tone for a day centred on creativity and its value in Drogheda. Mayor Michelle Hall then highlighted the importance of creativity in the town's growth, and Sheila Deegan discussed the intersection of culture, creativity, and regeneration. After the introductions, myself and Naomi then led the facilitation, starting with speed networking to foster connections among attendees and a mapping exercise to shed light on the arts in Drogheda and identify key areas for development. We then moved into a divergent and convergent stage, starting with Doodle Lab, a methodology focused on encouraging participants to access their creativity through visual thinking, followed by a "Crazy 8" Innovation Sprint for rapid idea generation. Demonstrations of Openspace and Design Thinking techniques were presented to inspire more collaborative problem-solving, before supporting participants in collectively developing their ideas, energised by the day's discussions. The event concluded with a reflective session on next steps, empowering attendees to translate the creative momentum into tangible plans for Drogheda's cultural and innovative future.