Arts Week 2026 – Celebrating 70 Years of Creativity
Arts Week 2026 provided a wonderful opportunity for the Clonard community to celebrate 70 years of creativity, courage and imagination. Throughout the week, students were encouraged to spread their wings, embrace new experiences and share their creative talents with others.
The Kildare Theatre became the heart of the celebrations, showcasing an exciting program of performances from our Dance, Drama and Music students. Each lunchtime, the theatre was filled with enthusiastic audiences eager to support performers who have dedicated countless hours to developing their skills and confidence. Their commitment and passion were evident in every performance.
Creativity also took flight through our Year 7 Ceramics Exhibition. Students proudly displayed their hand-crafted ceramic birds, created using slab-building techniques developed throughout the semester. Individually designed and beautifully painted, these artworks demonstrated both technical skill and imagination, and will no doubt become treasured pieces displayed in homes for years to come.
A highlight of the week was welcoming a guest speaker Janis de Booy from the gaming industry. As a successful marketing executive, she shared her career journey and offered valuable insights into the opportunities available for women in creative industries. Students across all year levels were inspired by her story and encouraged to consider the many pathways that creativity can open.
The spirit of collaboration was captured in our community art installation, inspired by the question: “What good are wings without the courage to fly?” Students contributed their own decorated feathers, each representing their unique voice and creativity. Together, these individual contributions formed a striking set of wings that symbolised the strength, diversity and aspirations of our community. Just as Clonard has nurtured creativity for 70 years, these wings remind us that confidence and courage allow ideas to take flight.
Students also had the opportunity to participate in a dance workshop led by a Clonard alumni, Mikaylee Smee, from graduating class of 2024. The workshop provided an engaging opportunity to develop performance skills, build confidence and celebrate movement through dance.
The success of Arts Week would not have been possible without the dedication and enthusiasm of the Arts Faculty. I would like to sincerely thank Sally Gray, Marcia Howard, Natalie Ferrarese, Georgia Demetrius, Danyl Lunardelli, Mel Fearby, Kasia Vosloo, Dean Williams and Chris Scanlan for their support and commitment. I would also like to acknowledge our Arts Leaders, whose efforts behind the scenes helped bring the week to life.
We thank all the Arts Leaders who took time to help the week run and a special congratulations must go to our Year 12 Leaders, Rymaux Gapit and Sophie Morrish for their outstanding leadership, vision and dedication. Their hard work transformed ideas into action and played a significant role in the success of the week.
While Arts Week may be over, the celebrations continue. We now look ahead to Term 3 and our much-anticipated House Arts celebrations as part of the St Brigid’s festivities. Students are encouraged to keep their creative wings spread and look out for opportunities to become involved, earn House points, and participate in events including Dance and the Wearable Art Fashion Show.
Here’s to another 70 years of creativity, courage and the confidence to fly.
Jo Wiltshire
Learning Leader for the Arts
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