Traveller Spaces in the Arts: Pavee Point wishes to appoint suitable consultants to undertake audit, research and scoping on the need for Traveller spaces in the arts.
Artistic and creative expression has always been a part of Traveller life but Traveller inclusion in mainstream arts, arts institutions and programmes has been lacking. This means that there are few (public) spaces where Travellers can engage with their own art, experiment in terms of creative practice and explore creative opportunities together.
In January 2025, Pavee Point in partnership with the Arts Council, organised a conference on Travellers in the arts ‘Suni Arárk a Thadyr – Looking Ahead with Pride’. Discussions were lively with a high level of analysis and engagement. Various themes came forward such as sustainable funding and the centring of Traveller voices in arts and culture work.
Over 100 Travellers, and those working with Travellers in the arts, attended the conference and issues were discussed in 5 break out groups. In each of these groups the need for dedicated space or spaces for Traveller artists to engage in collaborations, share information and ideas, develop Traveller leadership in the arts as well as having spaces for rehearsals, training and performance and exhibitions was raised. It is within this context that we are undertaking this audit and scoping.
We would like to build an accurate and up to date picture of those spaces that do exist so that we can identify opportunities and gaps and plan effectively for future provision in this area.
To this end Pavee Point wishes to commission an audit of existing spaces that analyses gaps and opportunities and explores current and future options for a possible range of various types of dedicated spaces for Traveller arts.
Read the invitation to tender here: ‘Traveller Spaces in the Arts’