Wednesday 15 March 2017

Life Outside the Box short film

Welcome!

Welcome to the screening of Life Outside the Box, 
which is the result of an eight month puppet making project 
with members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) 
Dungarvan Resource Centre.

This film is being shown today 15th March 2017 
an international disability film festival in Calgary, Canada.

Please explore this Blog to get the full story.

Life Outside The Box from Corina Duyn on Vimeo.

Life screening of the film in Dungarvan and Waterford, see THIS Blog Post


Tuesday 14 March 2017

Press releases of our film 'Life Outside the Box' screenings

poster of the film Life Outside the Box
Pressreleases published in newspapers and on Dungarvan Cinema Facebook page, Dungarvan Tourism and Dungarvan Shopping Centre (where the film was made) facebook pages... and probably in other places too. Thank you all for the support!


Dungarvan Puppets are on the move again!
By Corina Duyn

Just about a year ago a set of nine puppets made their first public appearance during a filming session at the Dungarvan Shopping Centre.
They were made by members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Resource Centre, during an eight month project led by local artist and writer Corina Duyn.
Corina, also a member of the IWA, was asked in 2014 if she could facilitate puppet project. This Life Outside the Box project received funding from Create – Artist in the Community Scheme, part of the Arts Council of Ireland. The IWA staff provided practical support every step of the way.

The making of the puppets and props were a weekly adventure into learning new skills, building friendships, sharing lots of laughter, but also brought a huge sense of empowerment. Words like “I found me again”, and “I did not know I could do this”, were heard during the session.

Life Outside the Box was the chosen title to represent this diverse group of people and the merits of the project. “Although we all live with illness/disability, we still very much like to be part of society. We symbolized this by having our puppets step out of Society’s Disability Box.”
Alan O’Callaghan from The Bootleg Studios filmed this adventure at the Dungarvan Shopping Centre in January 2016. 

To the participants absolute delight this very short film will be screened on the 15th March 2017 at the international disability film festival Picture This in Calgary, Canada.
To celebrate this achievement, local public venues have been hugely supportive to host screenings of the film between 10th and 17th March:

   Dungarvan SGC Cinema. Before every movie from Friday 10th until Thursday 16th March.
   Waterford Centre for Independent Living, Cheshire - John's Hill, Wednesday 15th March at 12.15, and 12.30. 
   Dungarvan Shopping Centre on screens in the main lobby from Monday 13th until Friday 17th March.
   Some of the puppet makers will be at the Shopping Centre on Monday and Thursday. Contact Caroline Lacey for details.
   Easons Dungarvan have kindly agreed to sell the project Book/DVD, and notebooks. All proceeds go the IWA Art group.
   Digital screening on the Puppet’s Blog http://lifeoutsidethebox-puppetproject.blogspot.ie from the 15th March.


During the past year, the puppets have travelled for exhibitions to Dungarvan and Waterford Library and Tramore Coastguard Arts Centre. Individually they have joined their makers on holidays and day trips to Villierstown, Tramore, Youghal, Kenmare and even Spain.

If you would like to invite the puppets and their makers to come and talk about life with disability at your school or group, please contact Caroline Lacey at IWA caroline.lacey@iwa.ie 087-2556835.

Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) is a national organization, which provides a range of services to people with disabilities and other mobility impairments in their own homes and communities.

Avondhu Newspaper 9-03-2017
Dungarvan Observer 10-03-2017

Sunday 12 March 2017

letter from Finian McGrath T.D. , Minister for Disabilities


10 March 2017 (by email)

Dear Corina,

Thank you for your kind invitation to Dungarvan to meet with the people involved in the Life Outside the Box puppet making project. Regrettably, I am unable to attend in person as I have already committed to visiting a disability service. However, I would be grateful if you would pass on my very best wishes to all of those involved in the project. 

Having watched the film, I was impressed by the very gentle way in which it asked important questions on perceptions of disability and ability. All of us have opinions on what we ourselves and others are capable of doing. The use of puppets shows how it is possible to step back and look at ourselves and others in a completely new way. The film demonstrates how this can be an engaging and joyous process. The artistry and dedication of the puppet makers is evident from the fantastic level of detail and character of each puppet. I hope they take great pride in the beautiful objects they created. 

I would like to congratulate all of those involved in the project. I am sure that this unique film will go on to inspire many others to think about ability. 

With very best wishes 

Finian McGrath T.D. , Minister for Disabilities 



Finian McGrath TD, Minister of State attending Government and Minister of State at the Departments of Social Protection, Justice & Equality and Health with special responsibility for Disabilities. MoS Mc Grath was appointed Minister of State on 6th May 2016.

Tuesday 7 March 2017

Screening of Life Outside the Box


Welcome to the screening details of Life Outside the Box
The result of an eight month puppet making project with members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Dungarvan Resource Centre.
Please explore this Blog to read more about the project


Screenings details

  • Dungarvan SGC Cinema  Co. Waterford, before every movie from Friday 10th March until Thursday 16th March.

  • On Wednesday 15th March at 12.15, and 12.30 you can join members of the IWA Resource Centre in Waterford, at Cheshire John's Hill, Waterford 
  • The film will be screened here on the Blog on Wednesday 15th March

Further details 

  • Our books and notebooks are available at Eason Dungarvan Shopping Centre from Monday 13th March. Please ask staff.
    • On Monday 13th for a few hours (noon-till 2?), puppet makers will be at the shopping centre- selling our books and meeting the public. Free 32 page notebook with every Book/DVD €10

  • If you like to screen this movie, or like to know more, please contact Corina 
  • If you like the puppets and their makers to give a talk about life with disability and our project, please contact Caroline Lacey, Service Coordinator

Support the project

  • You can support our project by purchasing our book/DVD (€10) of the project HERE or notebooks HERE. (€5, reduced price for more copies). All proceeds will go to further IWA Dungarvan puppet/art projects.
  • Or if you would like to make a donations towards our project, you can do so here. It will bring you to Project facilitator Corina Duyn's Little Wings Paypal site, but you can be assured that  that all money donated will go towards the IWA Puppet Project fund


Friday 3 March 2017

Dungarvan IWA puppet film to be shown in Canada


Poster of the Picture This film festival 2016
Our short film Life Outside the Box, will be screened at the Picture this...film festival, which is an international disability film festival on the 15th March. In Calgary, Albert, Canada.
Picture this... film festival Online Catalogue (we are on page 23 of the catalogue, page 25 of PDF)

We are organising screenings of the short film in Dungarvan, and here on this Blog during the week of the 15th March. Please call back here for further details.


If you like to support our work, 
you can do do by purchasing the Life Outside the Box book/DVD (€10), 
or notebooks (€5)
Article by Paul Mooney
published in the Dungarvan Observer
Friday 24th February 2017
Screening schedule