TEAM & BOARD
MONIKA SAPIELAK
Monika Sapielak is an award-winning Arts Manager, Curator, Producer, Lecturer and Mentor, with 25 years of work experience in the European Cultural Sector.
Co-founder and CEO of the Centre for Creative Practices (CFCP), she is a recipient of the Merit to Polish Culture, awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, as well as Main Awardee of the Arthur Guinness Fund.
Monika is dedicated to developing and delivering ambitious artistic programmes that are inclusive, socially engaged and supportive of the integration of migrants. She is also a strong advocate for the promotion of European values, as well as increasing the participation of disadvantaged members of society.
Monika’s experience in the European Cultural Sector includes: Cultural Programme Coordinator for Dublin’s European City of Culture 2020 bid; Curator at numerous artistic venues in Ireland, Germany and Poland; Programme Coordinator at theatre festivals in Ireland, Poland, Germany and UK; Production Manager and Cultural Programmer; Manager at various artistic venues; Stakeholders Relationships Manager; Fundraising Manager; Promotion and Marketing Manager; PR, press liaison & keynote speaker.
Special interests include Interculturalism, Participatory Arts, Multidisciplinary Arts Programmes, Transnational Artistic Programmes and Collaborations, Artistic Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Arts Sector.
Monika is Curator and Project Manager for The New Voices of Ireland Series, a yearly programme of events, group shows, collaborative workshops, mentoring and training programmes that provide migrant and culturally diverse artists with resources, development opportunities, support and access to the local cultural and creative sector.
She is Founder & CEO of ArtConnected – an online multi-sided platform that provides the creative sector with instant access to professional creative opportunities.
Monika is also Founder & CEO of ArtPolonia, Lab for Intercultural Collaboration and Exchange, facilitating Polish-Irish Intercultural Exchange
IAN OLIVER, CO-FOUNDER
Head of Creative Entrepreneurship, Centre for Creative Practices and the Creative Entrepreneurs Academy
Ian is a Proactive Entrepreneur and Senior Manager with over 20 years’ experience of working in the Artistic and Creative Sectors. He has over 15 years’ experience working with Local Government, Local Enterprise Offices, Local Arts Offices, Arts Organisations and Venues, Universities, Businesses and Community Groups throughout Ireland, auditing and engaging the artistic and creative communities within specific geographic regions. He has 12 years’ experience of giving papers and key-note presentations on Creative Entrepreneurship at numerous conferences and events throughout Europe.
A specialist in Leadership & Management Development; Business Direction, Development & Strategy; Marketing; Communications; and Creative & Design Thinking.
Ian worked closely with the Dublin 2020 bid for the European Capital of Culture to present a series of “Fuck Up Nights”, focussing on the value of failure in our lives. Ian has also developed and curated a ‘Creative Dublin’ series, where media students from the USA are invited to develop a creative project in Dublin over a period of 15 weeks.
Currently, Ian is working with different communities on developing, advising and designing Creative Placemaking strategies that provide sustainable projects that utilise artists, creatives and creativity as the main driver to effect sustainable economic and social change with particular reference to rural communities.
He also teaches and mentors creatives and students in International Management, International Relations, Creative & Design Thinking, Creative Entrepreneurship and Diversity education for third level students and life-long learners.
ARTUR BANASZKIEIWCZ
Artur Banaszkieiwcz is a business consultant, project manager and a connector. He is Chair of the Board of the Centre for Creative Practices and acts as an advisor on the organisational strategy, fundraising, relationships with the corporate world and promotion.
A graduate of Abertay University (Scotland) and Poznan University of Economics (Poland), Artur has worked with the Polish Embassy in Dublin as the International Trade Advisor. Currently, he works in the private sector and holds the position of the Industry Partnerships & Technology Manager at the Digital Skills Academy in Dublin.
Artur is an active supporter of the Enigma Theatre, a migrant-led, multicultural theatre ensemble, based in Dublin. He also actively supports the Polish community in Ireland. He coordinated VOTE! YOU ARE AT HOME! Campaign. Since 2011 Artur is also Board Member of the Polish Teachers Association in Ireland.
PAT COOKE
Pat Cooke is Strategy and Arts Policy Advisor for the Centre for Creative Practices.
He has been director of an MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management in UCD since 2006.
Previously, he worked for Ireland’s state heritage service for over twenty years, where he was director of both Kilmainham Gaol and the Pearse Museum. As a heritage sector manager, Pat pioneered the use of museums and historic properties in Ireland as sites for major art projects. His experience in the heritage field includes producing cultural and historical exhibitions and audio-visual presentations, and the management of historic sites in line with the best principles of conservation practice.
Pat’s research interests are in the history and evolution of cultural policy in Ireland, and he is currently working on an historical survey of how the interaction between the state, the intelligentsia and society shaped Irish cultural policy from the nineteenth century up to the foundation of a Department of Culture in 1993.
PATRICIA KENNEDY
Patricia is founder and Director of an award- winning social enterprise Sticks & Stones, with a mission to help children live happier lives. Identified as one of the top three European solutions for activating empathy among youth at risk, Sticks & Stones empowers children and young people to make positive choices. It gives them invaluable life skills that they can draw on long after they leave school.
Patricia specialises in anti-bullying training and advocacy, social entrepreneurship, executive coaching, diversity and inclusion training, Theatre-in-Education and creative thinking. She is also a professional facilitator and provides consulting on Devising and Implementing Creative Methodologies.
As the Board Member of the Centre for Creative Practices, Patricia brings a wealth of expertise in social entrepreneurship, fundraising, state support for not-for-profits, as well as organisational strategy and communication.
SARAH BRACKEN
Sarah Bracken is an artist, designer and educator based in Dublin. She has a degree in Fine Art and a Masters in Art and Design Education from the National College of Art and Design. Sarah teaches at both post-primary and third level, and is a lecturer in graphic design at the Dublin Institute of Design.
Sarah runs a small online business called Rosie’s Rags, selling embroidery kits to craft lovers around the world. In her art practice, Sarah works in embroidery, print, animation, street art, zines and installations. She is best known for Letterbox Dublin, an interactive street art project featured on Sky Atlantic show Urban Secrets with Alan Cummings. The project is also featured in Dublin guide book Secret Dublin: An Unusual Guide by Pól Ó Conghail and letters from the project were exhibited on billboards around Dublin city and at Science Gallery Dublin. Her latest projects have been in stop- motion animation, such as her paper cut animation Spectrum that was commissioned by the Ark, children’s art centre.
As a Board member with the Centre for Creative Practices Sarah supports CFCP in engagement with new artists – local and international, acts as a curatorial adviser and helps to promote CFCP’s intercultural and collaborative programmes and practices.
PAWEL KLESZCZEWSKI
Pawel Kleszczewski co-founded Konik Studio in 2013 in Ireland. Animation film director, active artist, curator, he creates holistic arts projects. He works in the field of education and art, providing Painting and Drawing classes for students and other age groups, as well as stop-motion animation workshops. He has experience in writing applications for grants, creative writing, art promotion, planning artistic development initiatives.
Recipient of artist residencies in Sweden, Ireland and Estonia, Pawel was also awarded the Bullock Lane Residency in Cavan (2016), Cavan Arts Award (2017) and Cavan Professional Arts Award (2016) and Polish Culture Around the World from Adam Mickiewicz Institute (2016).
As the Board Member for the Centre for Creative Practices, Pawel advises on artistic programming, artist selection for submissions and grants, as well as new artistic and educational programmes.
PAUL DOUGLAS
Paul empowers individuals and businesses to achieve their potential, through self-awareness, using entrepreneurial planning and action strategies.
Areas of Expertise: Career Coaching., Start up Strategies, Small Business Development., Strategic Planning, Transition Planning, Human Resource Management, Business Finance, Bookkeeping and Accounting, Marketing Strategies for SME’s, Social Economy Projects, Project Assessment., Feasibility Studies, Business Plan Preparation, Group Facilitation, Ideas Generation, Financial Modelling for new projects, Local Development Research, Training Needs Analysis, Developing Training and Support Programmes for Micro-Enterprises, Delivering Training, Psychometric / Aptitude Testing, Assessing Impact of Training, Programme Assessment, Personal Development Planning, Enterprise Space planning and management, Management of Mentoring and Coaching Programmes, Painting and the Arts.
Experience: Marine Art Ireland, Marine Artist and owner of Marine Art Ireland, Jan 2013 – Present (http://marineartireland.com)
Retired 2014,
Rathmines Pembroke Community Partnership (2008 – 2014)
Careers and Enterprise Consultant – (2001–2011)
Acting Chief Executive – Fingal County Enterprise Board – (2000-2001)
Assistant CEO – Fingal CEB (1996-2000)
Enterprise Centre Manager – The Bolton Trust – (1993-1996)
Owner / Manager – Medici Corporate Art (1990-1993)
New Project Accountant – Madame Tussauds (London) (1988-1990)
Financial Controller – Combined Insurance Company of Ireland (1981-1988)
Trained as Auditor and Accountant – Cooper Magennis (1977-1981)