Announcing our Momentum Award recipients
Announcing the five recipients of the very first Riverbank Arts Centre MOMENTUM AWARD (well, nine actually as two residencies are collaborative ones!). Congrats to all the artists/practitioners listed below – and also huge thanks to all the applicants and to our panel of independent assessors. The standard of the residency proposals was exceptionally high. We look forward to working these artists over the next few months – each project will have a sharing event of some kind, so watch this space!
MOLLIE MOLUMBY
Mollie is a theatre-maker and arts manager based in Dublin. Directing credits include Half Light (First Fortnight Award at Dublin Fringe 2016, National Tour 2018), Susie and the Story Shredder (Dublin Fringe 2018, National Tour 2019) and Disney World (Eva O’Connor, Abbey Theatre 24 Hour Plays). Credits as an assistant director include The Snapper (Gate Theatre 2018 and 2019) and Peep (Bewley’s Cafe Theatre 2018). She is producer and co-creator of Bombinate Theatre’s Goodnight Egg (2021). Other producing credits include Starlet (Alison Spittle, Dublin Fringe 2019). Mollie recently graduated from UCD’s MA in Arts Management and Cultural Policy. She is co-director of Bombinate Theatre.
Mollie is delighted to be a recipient of the Momentum Award and will use this residency to develop ideas for a new play for young people aged 15-18
ALAN HOWLEY
Alan is a performer, writer, and theatre-maker. He began acting with Dublin Youth Theatre, subsequently studying Performance at Dartington College of Arts, Devon. He has performed nationally and internationally including shows at Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, and festivals across Europe.Alan’s solo performance works ‘box’, ‘bruise’, ‘show off’, and ‘looking’ have been shown in the ICA, London, the CCA, Glasgow, and the Expo festival, Nottingham. Alan is co-director of performance group Breach & Quinn. Their show ‘SCORE’ played Project Arts Centre, venues around Ireland, Theaterszene Europa Festival, Cologne, and George Town Festival, Malaysia. Alan is currently an Associate Artist at Axis Ballymun.
For the Momentum Award and residency Alan will continue work on ‘Remember You Must Die’, a theatre performance that uses a pair of photographs of his dead mother to explore ideas around memory, mortality, the body, and grief.
ÁINE O’HARA
Áine O’Hara is an award winning visual artist, theatre maker and designer creating exciting and engaging documentary work. Áine is passionate about making accessible work and exploring themes of disability and productivity. Recent achievements include: Arts & Disability Ireland Training Award 2020, A4 Sounds Studios Project Award 2020, Outburst Queer Fringe Award 2019, Selected for Abbey Begins New Writing Programme 2019, Dublin City Council Incubation Space Award Feb/Mar 2019, World of Co, Artist Residency Sofia, Bulgaria. Jan 2019. You can see more at https://aineohara.com/
Áine: I am so excited to be selected for MOMENTUM and will be using this time to begin research on a project about the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT: MARK BALL & AOIFE RALEIGH
MARK BALL
Mark Ball is a queer theatre-maker (directing, writing and facilitation), and is Super Paua’s Engagement Director. Mark received the Young People, Children and Education Arts Council Bursary in 2019. Recent credits: Super Paua Stories series 1 & 2, online podcast for children, 2020/ongoing (director); The Lonsdale Project, Super Paua & Riverbank Arts Centre, 2020/ongoing (co-curator of interactive exhibition, science/theatre engagement website); home/sick, Samuel Beckett Theatre, 2019 (director/deviser/writer). Mark has facilitated workshops and theatre projects with Dublin Youth Theatre, Science Gallery Dublin, the Abbey Theatre, and the Ark.
AOIFE RALEIGH
Aoife Raleigh is a circus performer, teacher and producer, specialising in hula hoop, strong woman and acrobatics. Recent credits: StrongWomen Science Circus 250, educational circus show for families winner of Best Family Event for Fantastic Families Awards 2020, Abu Dhabi Science Festival 2020, The Dock Theatre Leitrim 2020, Northern Ireland Science Festival 2020, Bolton Library 2020 (co-deviser and performer), Seeds by Síolta Circus a contemporary and humorous, ensemble, acrobatic street show, Carnival of Colours Reimagined, Derry 2020 (co-founder and acrobat).
Aoife and Mark are delighted to research & develop a circus/theatre show that explores women’s sexuality, bodies and pleasure through hula hooping, comedy and story with the support of the Momentum Award.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT – ALLIE WHELAN, EMMA FINEGAN, LISA NALLY & JENNIFER AUST
ALLIE WHELAN is a director, designer and performer from Newbridge, Co. Kildare. She graduated from TCD’s Drama course in 2018. Allie has directed Marina Carr’s “By The Bog of Cats” at Riverbank Arts Centre, Conor Burke’s “The Terms & Conditions of Me & My Ma” as part of Smock Alley’s Scene+Heard Festival, and Mark Ravenhill’s “Pool(No Water)” at The Samuel Beckett Theatre, Dublin & The Granary Theatre, Cork, which won Best Production, Best Ensemble and Best Sound Design at the ISDA’s. Allie was also one of four Young Curators at The Abbey Theatre in 2018/19.
EMMA FINEGAN is a Dublin based actor and deviser from Co Kildare. Recent acting credits include “Bad Ghost” (Scene + Heard 2020), “Green Skies: A Double Rhythm” (Riverbank Arts Centre, supported by Kildare County Council and Creative Ireland 2019), “God of Carnage” and “Underground Lovers” (Samuel Beckett Theatre 2018). In 2020, Emma co-wrote and performed in the one woman show “When I was young I never talked to Clouds” (Scene+Heard Festival). In 2019, she directed and co-devised “The Epiphany of Eileen O’Keefe”, performed at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, The Whale Theatre, and on the Sanctuary Stage at Electric Picnic 2019.
Lisa Nally is a performer and producer. She holds a BA from Trinity College in Film and Drama Studies and is a co-founder of OXBO Theatre. Lisa is currently rehearsing Waterford Crystal with director Grace Morgan. She has worked as a producer with fringe festivals in Dublin and Prague and she recently performed her first solo stand up comedy show, I Don’t Normally Do This. Lisa is currently a Hot Desker with Dublin Fringe, a Gap Day artist for 2020, and is developing new work with The Complex’ Art Factory initiative.
Jennifer Aust is a theatre artist and stage manager from Dublin. She’s made plays with OXBO Theatre at Smock Alley Theatre, Prague Fringe Festival and is currently co-developing MIAMI with the Complex Dublin. Her stage management credits include work for Dublin Fringe Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival and at the Abbey Theatre. She’s keen on making theatre that’s really live, fun, honest, and you
We aim to use our residency at Riverbank Arts Centre to create a piece of documentary theatre that investigates the changing nightlife culture in Ireland – the stories your mammy tells you about, and the stories you’d never tell your mammy.