Aistearoir Project 2026
On 2 May 2026 by Deej_Fabyc1A Curator–Artist Mentorship Programme
Aistearóir is the Irish word for journey. This curator–artist mentorship programme invites six curators to participate in a developmental residency at Live Art Ireland from 8th–12th April. During this period, the curators select the artist with whom they wish to work and mentor them throughout the year, using whatever means of communication and timeframe they choose. The selected artists attend a residency at Live Art Ireland from 30th August to 24th September.
The six curators convene for a four-day residency at Live Art Ireland to develop and frame their mentorship with their chosen artist. They also explore performance and live art methodologies and their place within contemporary art practice.
The Curators
Karla Sánchez Zepeda is an art historian, curator, and cultural producer based in Ireland. Founder of Blackbird Cultúr-Lab, her work brings together agriculture, the arts, and interdisciplinary practice. @blackbirdculturlab
Valeria Ceregini is an Italian, Ireland-based curator championing Irish artists nationally and internationally. Her curatorial interests span ecology, post-humanism, and trans-cultural dialogue, with recent projects at Hugh Lane Gallery Dublin and Palazzo Birago Turin. @valeriaceregini
Viviana Checchia is a curator and researcher, currently Director of Void Art Centre, Derry, and Co-Director of international curatorial platform Vessel, Puglia. She was previously Residency Curator at Delfina Foundation, London. @viviana_checchia
Diana Bamimeke (they/them) is an independent curator, art writer, and transdisciplinary artist based in Dublin. Their practice is guided by Black feminist and queer thought, anti-colonialism, and anti-imperialism, with writing published by frieze and Douglas Hyde Gallery. @dianabamimeke
Marysia Więckiewicz (she/her) is a curator and art writer, recently appointed Curator of Visual Arts at Project Arts Centre, Dublin. She has organised exhibitions at IMMA, Hugh Lane Gallery, and Temple Bar Gallery + Studios. @marysia_wieckiewicz
Deej Fabyc (they/them) is a performance artist and CEO and Founder of Live Art Ireland, Tipperary, with four decades of international practice. Their work explores trauma, embodiment, and neurodiversity, and they curate residencies and festivals — including the biennial Convergence — supporting over 80 artists annually. @deej_fabyc_art
The Aistearoir curator residency took place in Live Art Ireland last Thursday to Sunday (8th-12th April). We had a meeting where we discussed each other’s curatorial practice. Two curators unfortunately couldn’t make so we incorporated online meetings. Deej Fabyc presented an in depth history of the house and the out-buildings and brought the curators on a guided walk around 17 acres of land surrounding Live Art Ireland discussing the history of the land, Deej’s process of rewilding the land and the planting of 750 trees. On Saturday we visited the Blackbird Cultur Lab in Wexford. This is a creative cultural laboratory based within a working farm that is transitioning towards regenerative agricultural practices. Blackbird Cultur Lab is run by Oisin O’Connell and Karla Sánchez. Karla, one of the curators on the Aistearoir programme , unfortunately couldn’t join us in Live Art Ireland so we decided to bring the residency to her! We drove down on Saturday and spent a few hours with Karla, Oisin and their family.
The Artists
The following six artists have been selected for the 2026 Aistearóir programme. Through an open call process, each curator identified the artist with whom they wished to collaborate — bringing together six distinctive curatorial and artistic voices.
Laura Flood (curator: Viviana Checchia) is an Irish artist exploring the human relationship with land through drawing, photography, natural dyes, and writing. She holds an MA in Art & Research Collaboration from IADT with a focus on art and permaculture. @aura_with_an_l
Elaine McGinn (curator: Diana Bamimeke) is a Belfast-born artist based on the north-east coast of Ireland, working across performance, community art, and art education since 2004. She is a recent MFA graduate from Ulster University with a graduate award from Bbeyond. @elainemcginnartist 📷 Rainer Pagel
Rebecca Strain (curator: Deej Fabyc) is a multidisciplinary visual artist, writer, curator, and arts project manager based in Co. Donegal. Her work explores grief, creativity, and place, with recent performances across Europe and collaborations with Bbeyond and BBDB in Derry. @rebeccastrainartist
Domnick Sorace (curator: Valeria Ceregini) is a Maltese/Italian multidisciplinary artist based in Dublin. Recent achievements include a solo show at RUA RED, the Solstice Diversity Award, and a Culture Moves Europe Mobility Award supporting a writing residency in Assisi, Italy. @domnicksorace
Sheenagh Geoghegan (curator: Marysia Więckiewicz) is a Tipperary-based interdisciplinary artist working across painting, sculpture, and live performance. She holds an MFA from The Slade School of Art and collaborated with La Pocha Nostra in 2024, curated by Live Art Ireland. @sheenagh_b_geoghegan
Tuqa Al Sarraj (curator: Karla Sánchez Zepeda) is a Dublin/Kildare-based Palestinian visual artist and filmmaker working across photography, video, performance, and installation to explore memory, loss, and exile, with exhibitions in Oslo, London, Ramallah, and Dublin. @friendsofthefreedomtheatre.ie 📷 @manteleileen
Image: Deej Fabyc Manuel Vason
Aistearóir is supported by the Arts Grant and the Workspaces Grant from the Arts Council. @artscouncilireland
