About Us
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts is a children's arts organisation based in Newry, Northern Ireland.
Sticky Fingers was originally established as a project within the Childcare Department of Voluntary Services Belfast to provide opportunities for young children to access and engage in the arts. In 2002, Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts became an independent organisation, core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Our aim is to devise and deliver high quality arts events and encourage participation in the arts for children, families, carers, teachers and childcare professionals. Our focus is on the early years of childhood but we regularly work with children aged from birth to eleven years.
At the core of our work is the design and delivery of programmes of visual arts, environmental arts, music, movement and drama for children and their families. We have also initiated a public art programme, regularly create and tour original early years theatre productions and run an annual outdoor summer arts camp. The Sticky Fingers Festival is also a well established and now annual event on the international early years arts calendar and attracts performers and visitors from far and wide.
We deliver tailored arts programmes, residencies and workshops for individual schools and groups and have established strong working partnerships with organisations such as Home Start and Sure Start that support families and communities. Wherever possible we prioritise our work for children experiencing disadvantage of some kind. As a not-for-profit company, all our programmes are priced with scarce budgets in mind. Many of our programmes are free to participants.
We also deliver accredited training courses in Developing Creativity in the Early Years for childcare professionals and early years artists in partnership with Stranmillis University College, a College of Queen's University Belfast.
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts is committed to the belief that children deserve the best in arts provision and participation. We continually advocate for the early years and arts sectors both locally and further afield. We are also professionally linked with national and international organisations such as Small Size, Polka Theatre, ASSITEJ UK and Action for Children's Arts that promote the same aims.
For further information on the work we do, see the Programme section of our website.
Child Protection
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts is committed to practice that keeps children safe. Staff and artists in this organisation accept and recognise their responsibilities to develop awareness of the issues around keeping children safe.
In all Sticky Fingers' work involving children the welfare of the child is paramount. Our work is based on the belief that children are to be valued and respected as individuals and that they deserve encouragement and praise.
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts' child protection policy is updated regularly and is always freely available to download here. We are also happy to talk to you at any time about the child-centred ethos that is central to our work - feel free contact us on info@stickyfingersarts.co.uk.
Company Information
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts is a registered charity and is a company limited by guarantee. Charity No: XR62862
Awards
Shortlisted for the Allianz Arts & Business Sustained Partnership Award (Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts and Milligan Reside Larkin Architects) 2012
Shortlisted for the Allianz Arts & Business Arts Individual of the Year (Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts Artistic Director Grainne Powell) 2012
Shortlisted for the Allianz Arts & Business Community Award (Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts and Milligan Reside Larkin Architects) [Highly Commended] 2011
Shortlisted for the Allianz Arts & Business Professional Development Award (Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts Chairman Conor Haughey) 2011
Allianz Arts & Business Young People Award Winners (Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts and The Quays) 2010
Greater Newry Area Business Awards Social Enterprise Award Winners 2010
Shortlisted for the Scope Communication Awards Publications Category [Runner-up] 2007
NRRTI Awards Contribution towards Peace & Reconciliation 2006
Scope Communication Awards Overall Winner 2006
Scope Communication Awards Publications Category Winner 2006
Scope Communication Awards Publications Category Winner 2002
Board of Directors
The company is governed by a Board of Directors which includes people with expertise in business, local government, early years education, the public sector and the arts.
Chairman: Conor Haughey
Colman Burns
David Hanna
David Barter
Staff
Artistic Director: Grainne Powell
General Manager: Clare Shiels
Programme Manager: Elaine Cronin
Music Coordinator: Claire McKenna
Interns and Volunteers
Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts offers unpaid internships and placement schemes for second and third level students and graduates looking for meaningful work experience in the early years, arts, arts aeducation and arts administration sectors. We also have a team of volunteers working on particular projects throughout the year. If you would like to discuss placement opportunities with the company please contact us at info@stickyfingersarts.co.uk.
Recruitment
There are currently no vacancies with Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts.
Supporters 2011
Sticky Fingers is core funded through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Other projects are currently supported by:
The National Lottery, through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Newry and Mourne District Council
BBC Children in Need
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Irish Youth Foundation
The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
The Ireland Funds
Victoria Homes Trust
Thank you also to:
Department for Regional Development [Tower of Imagination 2011]
Roads Services [Tower of Imagination 2011]
Kingspan [Tower of Imagination 2011]
Solarite [Tower of Imagination 2011]
The Buttercrane Shopping Centre [Perspectives 2011]
South Ulster Housing Association [Perspectives 2011]
Newry Bus Station [Perspectives 2011]
The Newry Reporter [Festival 2011]
The Buttercrane Shopping Centre [Festival 2011]
Alderside Farm [Festival 2011]
Grounded Espresso Bars [Festival 2011]
Newry City Library [Festival 2011]
Following on from the success of the Festival Friends scheme in 2010 we have now released details of the opportunities offered by 2012's bigger and bolder international festival. For further information on supporting Sticky Fingers Early Years Arts contact Elaine or Clare on +44 (0)28 3025 7885 or see our Support Festival 2012 page.