Róisín Stack

I’m a theatre maker and arts manager based in the west of Ireland. I began performing in youth theatre, studied for a Diploma of Theatre Arts from University of Ballarat (Australia) and an MA in Drama & Theatre from NUI Galway (Ire). I’ve held placements with La Mama Melbourne (Aus), San Francisco Mime Troupe (US) and Cheek By Jowl (UK). I directed Galway Theatre Festival for 4 years and held positions with Clod Ensemble (UK), Macnas and Druid (Ire). Alongside these roles I slowly but devotedly developed my own theatre practice and aesthetic. Working within organisations, I became acutely aware of the disconnect between established companies and frontline, grassroots artists. I’ve attempted to address this by producing artist development programmes (JOLT / FUEL / Macnas Young Ensemble) which empower artists and provide structures and means for them to develop new work.

I left full-time employment in August 2018 to reflect on my potential contribution to the arts. I have decided to focus on advocacy and creativity. I’m developing two creative projects and have begun researching academic writings on policy, politics and advocacy (eg: Paul Bonin-Rodriquez; Jen Harvey) to better understand the wider context of my local experience.

As an artist I’m interested in experimental, subversive, process-driven theatre. I work collaboratively with performers, visual artists, choreographers, composers and musicians. I’m interested in deconstructing the literary tradition of theatre and playing with theatrical form. I recently received Arts Council Ireland funding to develop a new piece of work based on a Dadaist play The Gas Heart by Tristan Tzara. In terms of Reshape, I’m interested in investigating alternative governance models (2) with a view to improving structures/conditions for independent artists, and the value of art in social fabric (3), to address existing misconceptions about artists and their work.