A Sustained Participatory Practice

Across these three projects, my role as Creative Producer has been rooted in a commitment to participatory practice that places meaningful artistic expression, community voice and ambitious contemporary work at the centre of the producing process. Each project brought together different communities, artists, partners and art forms, creating opportunities for people to contribute their own experiences and perspectives while engaging with high-quality professional artistic work. I am particularly grateful to the Arts Council of Ireland for its sustained support across these projects, and to the many community, artistic and cultural partners whose collaboration made them possible. Together, they represent an important strand of my practice as a Creative Producer: developing ambitious work through genuine partnership, creating space for voices that are not always centred, and using the arts as a means of connection, expression and shared experience. ~ Yvonne Coughlan

Sound of Photography/ Marcin Lewandowski

History

Collaboration with Yvon Bonenfant

Since 2023, Yvonne Coughlan has worked as Creative Producer with vocal artist and UCC Professor Yvon Bonenfant across three major participatory arts projects in Cork. Loop Love (2023–24), developed with Alex Pentek and Jeffrey Weeter, worked with adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities through a 20-week residency programme with the Cope Foundation, culminating in public presentations at the Granary Theatre and Cork Opera House in April 2024, supported by the Arts Council, Cope Foundation, UCC and Cork Opera House. This was followed by The Opposite of Queer Trauma (2024–25), a large-scale LGBTQI+++ participatory project incorporating performance, promenade, visual art and a publication, which culminated in two sold-out performances at Dance Cork Firkin Crane as part of Cork Midsummer Festival in June 2025. In 2026, Coughlan produced the next stage of this collaboration, Hear the Queer Appear, an ambitious public-art programme bringing queer voices and presence into Cork through installations, promenades and live performance, supported by the Arts Council Participatory Arts Project Award, Gay Project, University College Cork, Circus Factory and Cork City Council.

HERE the Queer Appear- Beacon Lights: A series of illuminated public artworks installed in Cork’s parks and public spaces, celebrating the presence and visibility of the LGBTQI+ community through hundreds of individual beacon lights.

HEAR the Queer Appear- Audio Promenades: A participatory audio promenade bringing queer voices and personal stories into Cork’s public spaces through a series of illuminated orbs, inviting audiences to walk, listen and encounter the city differently.

The Queer Appear, HERE!- Circus Factory Performance: The project culminated in a live performance at Circus Factory during Cork Community Pride, bringing together queer stories, live vocals, movement, dance and circus to create a joyful celebration of queer presence, creativity and community.

Across the three projects, Loop Love. The Opposite of Queer Trauma, and Hear the Queer Appear Coughlan’s producing practice has centred on ambitious interdisciplinary work, meaningful community participation, access and inclusion, and the development of new artistic work in partnership with Cork’s cultural and community organisations. Click on the buttons below to see further documentation of this work on Yvon Bonenfant's website.

Hear the Queer Appear

John Allen images

Thurs 30th July 10.30pm

“I adore this entire project by Yvon Bonenfant. The Queer Appear, Here! is a gorgeous finale to an extraordinary journey, sharing real stories through a breathtaking blend of circus, voice, new music, dynamic lighting and sound, in a truly special space. Fully accessible with ISL and audio interpretation, this is a must-see experience.”

-Yvonne Coughlan, Creative Producer