Ways to Get Involved
Eight Community Partners
We invite eight people to come on a journey exploring the future of Maharees. We believe that we each hold a valuable perspective on how the future could unfold, and we need to center the lived experiences and knowledge of Maharees people to understand what a climate-resilient and thriving community could look like here.
What will happen?
During the first year, we will explore the challenges facing our community members as well as what keeps us connected to this place. As a group, we will begin a learning journey that includes site visits to explore how other communities are adapting to the changing climate; expert talks about our local coastal geography, biodiversity and climate mitigation strategies; and take part in creative exercises and workshops to explore new ways of seeing these challenges, and possible actions and solutions we can take as a community.
Opportunities for community partners:
- As a local partner, you will have opportunities to shape the direction of this journey based on your interests and perceived needs of Maharees, now and in the future
- Explore Maharees from a new perspective. We are interested in bringing the lived experience and place-based knowledge from Maharees people together with experts in coastal geography, biodiversity, heritage and place-making, as well as climate adaptation and mitigation, to make sense of how a community can use these different forms of knowledge to create an action plan that works for them
- Experiment with your own creativity (as much as you are comfortable with) Our Creative Practitioners will introduce you to a range of creative mediums, chosen in relation to the topics that arise from the project and to support shared understandings of the challenges and opportunities facing this community. This is also an opportunity for participants to experiment with different forms of creative expression.
- Take part in a process of reflective learning and evaluation over the two years. This will include interviews to explore key project themes and experimentation with creative reflection techniques.
What commitment are we asking for in return?
- Attending two site visits in 2024, and one in 2025
- Attending 6 - 8 local sessions in 2024, and again in 2025
- Time to reflect on the themes and learning that emerge from the project
- Openness to hearing others perspectives and exploring new ways of thinking
The scheduling of these events will be agreed with you and you will also receive a small stipend to compensate for your time. The majority of events will take place between May and September of each year, and we will offer an online option if any are outside of this timeframe. The programme of events for 2025 will be decided as a group in September 2024, based on the ideas of the local partners and Creative Practitioners.
Download our Community Partner Brief to learn more about the opportunity. Please get in touch with our Project Designer, Zoë at
If you are interested in getting involved as a community partner, please complete the following application before the 26th May 2024 (it will take 5-6 minutes):
Other Ways to Get Involved
We are really keen to involve our whole community with this creative process as much as possible, as our resilience relies on local interdependence and willingness to adapt as a whole place.
If you would like to stay up to date with these events and what is happening with the project, follow Maharees Conservation Association’s social media channels and email zoe@dinglehub.com to sign up to our mailing list.
If you would prefer to share your views in another format, by talking to our artists or a member of MCA directly for example, please do get in touch with Zoë or a member of the Steering Group – we would love to hear your suggestions as we want everyone to feel included in these conversations.
You may have received one of our postcards recently - we will send out postcards and surveys each year to give the wider community a chance to share their hopes, challenges and opinions. We will also have public events each year where you can come and take part in our project’s activities and talks
Creative Coastal Resilience is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action Fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Further information on the Climate Action Fund is available at the following link: www.creativeireland.gov.ie