Language Explorers – Make it and Play! Creative Multilingual workshop for families with children 3 to 6 years old
Language Explorers – Make it and Play! Creative Multilingual workshop for families with children 3 to 6 years old
October 16 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm IST
Mother Tongues’ Language Explorer workshops provide a unique creative experience for parents and their children based on storytelling, play, visual arts and music. While the workshops will be guided in English, we encourage families to embrace their home languages. This workshop focuses on the crafting of vintage toys with multidisciplinary artist Fernanda Ferrari. Unleash creativity using simple…
Book Your Place
Free admission, book here https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/language-explorers-make-it-and-play-tickets-1537057322829
Artists
Fernanda Ferrari, multidisciplinary artist and workshop facilitator
Full Event Details
Craft vintage toys with Fernanda Ferrari in our Language Explorers workshops! Unleash creativity using simple everyday materials, make friends from all over the world, and create a special bond with your child through the magic of art-making. Each session is different but connected to an overall theme. Come to as many workshops as you like!
Mother Tongues’ Language Explorer workshops provide a unique creative experience for parents and their children based on storytelling, play, visual arts and music. While the workshops will be guided in English, we encourage families to embrace their home languages. This fosters meaningful connections between parents and children, creating a truly inclusive environment. Meet and connect with other like-minded families and share your language journey!
Workshops are free of charge, but booking is required as there is limited capacity. When you reserve a child ticket, the accompanying adult is automatically included. If you can’t make the event, please email us at hanna@mothertongues.ie so some other family can benefit from attending the workshop.
Language Explorers workshops promote a human rights agenda by creating inclusive, accessible artistic spaces that respect and celebrate every child’s right to participate in cultural life, as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 12). The programme empowers children and families to express their linguistic and cultural identities, fostering pride in their mother tongues and ensuring that minority and migrant voices are heard and valued.
By actively engaging parents and children from diverse backgrounds, including those living in Direct Provision and socio-economically disadvantaged areas, the workshops address the right to equality, cultural participation, and freedom of expression. The methodology places the child’s voice at the centre, ensuring they are not only participants but active co-creators, aligning with a rights-based approach to arts education and community engagement.
Mother Tongues, established in 2017, is a leading organisation working at the intersection of the arts, language and cultural diversity in Ireland. Its mission is to unlock the creative potential of multilingualism through high-quality, inclusive arts experiences that promote social cohesion, celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity and foster a sense of belonging for children, families and communities.
Since 2022, our Language Explorers programme has engaged 18 plurilingual artists and reached over 2,500 children and parents. By facilitating high-quality, inclusive arts experiences, we nurture children’s creativity and language skills, strengthen family bonds and enhance community wellbeing.
Speaker Biographies:
Fernanda Ferrari is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with a 25-year career spanning performance, puppetry, filmmaking, and beyond. Her artistic journey began in Brazil after graduating with an Honors Degree in Performance Arts from Unicamp, a leading Brazilian university. As a performer, Fernanda collaborated with renowned companies like Boa Companhia and MídiaKa, working alongside visionary directors such as Verônica Fabrini and Renato Cohen. Her work has been showcased internationally, with performances in Havana (Cuba), Seattle (USA), and London (UK).
A champion of social transformation through the arts, Fernanda has designed and led numerous initiatives that blend education and creativity. She founded AMORA, a production company that produced cultural events and educational projects for governments and corporations.
For eight years, Fernanda collaborated with SESC, the largest art/social Brazilian organization. Through theatrical performances and media, she developed and performed educational work focused on informing the public and providing solutions to issues related to health, the environment, well-being, and accessibility. Her collaboration with the Young Vic Theatre and People’s Palace Projects on the “Amazônia” project in Acre, Brazil, addressed deforestation and climate change. This project involved cultural workshops and culminated in the impactful documentary “Dancers of the Forest.” In 2012, Fernanda collaborated with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry and the United Nations in the coordination of the International Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.
Alongside her artistic career, Fernanda spent 15 years in the film industry, working as a producer and director. Her passion for creating stop-motion animation for educational projects and advertising campaigns led to professional opportunities in Los Angeles (USA) and Montreal (Canada). Since relocating to Ireland, Fernanda has honed her artistic practice, working with children and youth across various counties. Her projects for young audiences, including “The Magic Field” and “What to Do on a Rainy Day,” have received support from the Arts Council, South Dublin County Council (SDCC), Dept. of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media and The Civic through bursaries and commissions.
Fernanda’s relationship with Mother Tongues began over three years ago. During this time, she collaborated on the development of programs such as Language Explorers and OWL. She has facilitated over 100 workshops for the Language Explorers Programme, fostering linguistic diversity in schools and community settings. Fernanda has also directed and produced interactive installations blending puppetry with augmented reality, showcasing her commitment to innovation and inclusion.
Organisations Involved / Partner Organisation(s):
