It is a rare opportunity for young people to get in real contact with an art collection, gain experience working as a curator and to learn about collections and collecting. This is what the Sligo/Antrim Young Curators cross boarder project did. The group curated an interactive social history exhibition; which included a Silent Disco Room in the Model’s galleries.

On the night of the launch two local bands played live– The Complaints and Eusocial on the acoustic stage at the Model. It was very loud rock music with their fans dancing and singing along to the bands. There were over 250 young people at The Model so you can imagine the energy and the steam coming from the room.
The students involved in the Young Curators programme came from local secondary schools all around Sligo including the Grammar, Summerhill College, Ursulaine College, St. Claire’s comprehensive, Manorhamilton and St. Mary’s Ballisadare,
The exhibition Double Vision was developed over two years by the two groups with support from curators from The Model and The Mid-Antrim Museum service Co Antrim. They choose the content of the exhibition The Model’s Niland Collection and the Mid-Antrim Museums Braid collection, Ballymena.

The Young Curators designed the exhibition so the public could interact with the show by writing up their reaction on the Talk Wall. They asked them what music they liked; here are some of their replies, Black-Eyed Peas, Take That, Britney Spears and Blink 182. They also asked them what they thought of their exhibition and they said it was brilliant and that the paintings and artefacts were really good together. More said the exhibition was thought out really well and that it gave them a new perspective on art.

The Silent Disco, in the gallery has music from bands that once played at the Flamingo Ballroom, Ballymena including Rory Gallagher, Undertones, Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy and many more.

The Hot Dogs and Milk shakes were served for free from the Slice Café at The Model they were so tasty that some people were looking for seconds.
There is a teachers guide for Double Vision which can be down loaded on line at www.themodel.ie/education. Double Vision is a very interactive exhibition for people of all ages. The exhibition continues until May 06.