The Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture will launch its annual Creative Showcase and yearbook on Wednesday the 23rd of September at IT Sligo. This year, under current guidelines, the annual celebration of creativity by IT Sligo students will be held online via a specially commissioned website and digital yearbook.

Speaking in advance of the launch, Emmet O’Doherty, Head of the Yeats Academy of Arts, Design & Architecture said;

“It is with enormous pride and great delight that I unveil our Yeats Academy 2020 Yearbook. This yearbook celebrates a comprehensive profile of our graduating students and presents a wide range of very creative and inspiring projects developed by our highly talented students.”

The Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture was officially launched by the then Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD in June 2019. The Yeats Academy is a Flagship Department for IT Sligo and has seen growing student numbers as its reputation as a leader in the creative arts builds on the national and global stage.

This year saw several of its students’ successfully winning national and international awards, most notably Creative Design student Paul Roper claiming both the Global Undergraduate Award for his dissertation in the Architecture and Design category, along with the Institute of Designers of Ireland (IDI) Overall Design Student Award.

Mr O’Doherty acknowledged the difficult end to the semester experienced by students and staff after campuses were closed in March due to the worldwide pandemic. This led to a challenge in learning that required a creative and imaginative approach;

“How we live, work, learn and socialise underwent a revolution overnight that may now become a reality for the foreseeable future. Students, lecturers and technical staff alike showed remarkable resilience and ingenuity to embrace the digital sphere that challenged the traditional delivery of creative education. I would like to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of the department faculty members and the significant contributions they continue to make.”

2020 sees IT Sligo celebrate its 50th anniversary as a provider of third level education. As part of this milestone in its history, the institute will unveil its new €14 million building project that will see the creation of the Northern Campus on IT Sligo as a home for the Creative Arts. This October we plan to reoccupy the first phase of the remodelled Joseph Downes buildings at IT Sligo.

Mr O’Doherty thanked the support of the government for their funding and to colleagues and management at IT Sligo:

“I am very grateful for the support given to us by our Head of Faculty of Engineering and Design, Úna Parsons, and the President of IT Sligo, Brendan McCormack for their support in ensuring that the Yeats Academy will be best placed to grow and develop in the coming years.”

The Creative Showcase and yearbook launches Wednesday the 23rd of September online at http://itsligo.ie/yaada-yearbook-2020