40 years of creativity celebrated on Leeside

“Founding Graffiti was driven by my passion for opening children's minds to the transformative power of creativity and self-expression.”

Those were the words of Emelie FitzGibbon as her and Niall Cleary accepted August’s Cork Person of the Month award on behalf of the Graffiti Theatre Company.

The theatre is celebrating 40 years this year and the award is for their decades of exceptional work in children's arts education and theatre.

Emelie FitzGibbon founded Graffiti in 1984 with the mission of ensuring every child has access to arts and culture.

As Artistic Director and CEO until 2017, her visionary educational theatre impacted thousands of young audiences in Ireland and internationally.

FitzGibbon's legacy is being commemorated through the newly established Emelie FitzGibbon Bursary.

She said: “I'm grateful this award highlights the importance of making arts accessible for all young people.”

Niall Cleary has served as CEO of Graffiti since 2018, building upon the company's artistic vision of creating quality arts experiences to help children imagine a better world.

Under his leadership, Graffiti has expanded its creative learning programmes, theatre productions, and initiatives that celebrate the voices and creativity of young people across Cork.

He said: “I'm honoured to receive this recognition alongside Emelie, whose pioneering work laid the foundation for Graffiti to become a nationally renowned arts organisation for children.

“The arts have an unmatched ability to nurture curiosity, build confidence, and inspire the next generation.”

They now go forward for possible selection as Cork Persons of the Year.