Summer Research Snapshot: Chelsea Canavan

Chelsea is a socially engaged artist and PhD researcher based in Limerick whose practice explores care/control, visibility, belonging and the relationships between people and the systems that shape their lives. Since 2009 Chelsea has run an independent multidisciplinary consultancy practice. In 2019, they began working with Helium (national children’s charity) developing creative programmes across hospital and community settings with children and young people living with long-term health conditions.

Participation and collaboration, materiality and a DIY ethos are central to Chelsea’s practice. Often working with textiles and collective forms of printmaking, they use art to explore communication, identity, care, and power. Projects including Signals from a River - a community flag installation along the River Shannon in collaboration with artist Deirdre Power; School for Generational Storytelling - developed with artist Eamon O’Kane; and BetterWords - bringing together communities of interest and intergenerational participants to explore agency, voice and shared knowledge, developed alongside EVA International. Recently Chelsea's practice brought Conditions of Care to the public through Limerick City Gallery of Art’s TestSpace - which incorporated textile silhouettes inspired by sign language and explored connection, holding and loss.

Chelsea’s PhD is based in the University of Limerick’s School of Architecture. Chelsea will investigate why societal systems often fail young people during key life transitions. Building on a background in socially engaged practice, they are investigating care and control as intertwined forces shaping young people’s experiences. Chelsea is developing partnerships with the National Youth Council of Ireland, SpunOut (youth information and support platform), and Limerick City Partnership, while exploring collaboration with fellow researchers working across different life stages.