Final-year students from St Mary’s University College are taking part in an exciting collaborative art initiative with the Ulster Museum and Art UK titled Our Art, Our Place, Our Voice. This creative partnership is designed to inspire future teachers to engage children with art in meaningful, accessible, and imaginative ways.

The three-day project began on campus at St Mary’s, where students were introduced to local artist Fionnuala McGowan, who shared her creative journey and discussed the aims of the Our Art, Our Place, Our Voice project. Students also explored the Ulster Museum’s rich art collection through an introductory session, reflecting on how art can connect with community, identity, and voice.

On Day Two, students will visit the Ulster Museum to work alongside Colleen Watters, Art Education Officer, and artist Fionnuala McGowan. During this visit, they will engage directly with artworks from the museum’s collection-ranging from paintings to applied arts-selecting pieces that inspire their own creative ideas. These explorations will form the basis for developing classroom-ready activities that foster creativity and personal expression in young learners.

The project will culminate on Day Three with a creative workshop, where students will translate their ideas into practical art-making experiences. This session will be documented to create a new educational resource for young people-one that will continue to inspire creativity and engagement with art long after the project ends.

The initiative embodies St Mary’s commitment to empowering future teachers with the skills and confidence to make art accessible and relevant in their classrooms and encourage cross-curricular links. It is hoped that the approach developed through this project will remain with participants throughout their teaching careers, encouraging them to give every pupil a voice through art.

The Year 4 students involved have shown great enthusiasm, thoroughly enjoying the first session and expressing excitement for their upcoming visit to the Ulster Museum next week.

Pictured below

Ulster Museum Art Education Officer Colleen Watters, Local Artist Fionnuala McGowan and B Ed 4 Primary students, Louise McKenna, Ciara Lennon, Olivia Hall, Anna Heaney and St Mary’s History lecturer Teresa Cash