About

Welcome to the Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts & Equality

The Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, incorporating Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and Smashing Times Youth Arts Ensemble, is dedicated to the promotion, study and practice of the arts and equality.

The centre operates as a world class arts space and digital hub for artists, activists, communities and the general public across Ireland and internationally, providing a resource service and a training and networking agency in relation to using high quality creative processes and collaborative arts practice to promote human rights and equality for all.

The centre produces an annual and multi-annual inter-disciplinary arts programme with a focus on economic development, tourism, community infrastructure and education. All artistic mediums are supported with a focus on the performing and collaborative arts including theatre, film, visual arts, dance and music. Smashing Times’ vast experience conducting arts-based projects both nationally and internationally and its global reputation for excellence in relation to using professional and socially engaged arts practice to promote equality is drawn upon in the creation of this innovative space.

Smashing Times is highly experienced in using the arts to promote issues at local, national and European levels linking with organisations in Ireland, Northern Ireland, European and internationally and in countries including the UK, Spain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Greece and Latvia. The work is presented in a range of settings, on stage and on screen, from the professional theatre and arts space, to on tour in schools and communities where we are invited to work collaboratively with people from all ages and cultures, particularly in disadvantaged, marginalised communities. The company works with a range of organisations including schools, youth and adult groups and the general public. Smashing Times was originally established in 1991 by a group of women artists who met at the Focus Theatre Dublin. The company was set up as a professional theatre company producing plays and outreach programmes in Ireland and Northern Ireland and later, across Europe. In 2015 the company expanded to incorporate professional film practice and new digital technologies, promoting an interdisciplinary approach to performance and participation. In 2017 the company was delighted to be awarded the daa Arts Award at the Allianz Business to Arts Award Ceremony at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin presented by Pascal Donohoe TD, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. We were also honoured to have been awarded a GSK Ireland Impact Award and a Dublin Bus Community Spirit Award.

Fáilte go dtí Lárionad Idirnáisiúnta na nEalaíon agus an Chomhionannais Smashing Times

Tá Lárionad Idirnáisiúnta na nEalaíon agus an Chomhionannais Smashing Times, a ionchorpraíonn Comhlacht Drámaíochta agus Scannáin Smashing Times agus Ensemble Ealaíon Óige Smashing Times, tiomanta do chur chun cinn, staidéar agus cleachtadh na n-ealaíon agus an chomhionannais.

Feidhmíonn an t-ionad mar spás ealaíon den scoth agus mar mhol digiteach d’ealaíontóirí, gníomhaithe, pobail agus an pobal i gcoitinne ar fud na hÉireann agus go hidirnáisiúnta, ag soláthar seirbhís acmhainne agus gníomhaireacht oiliúna agus líonraithe maidir le próisis chruthaitheacha ardchaighdeáin agus cleachtas ealaíon comhoibríoch a úsáid chun cearta daonna agus comhionannas do chách a chur chun cinn.

Táirgeann an t-ionad clár ealaíon idirdhisciplíneach bliantúil agus ilbhliantúil a dhíríonn ar fhorbairt eacnamaíoch, turasóireacht, bonneagar pobail agus oideachas. Tacaítear le gach meán ealaíne le fócas ar na taibhealaíona agus na healaíona comhoibríocha lena n-áirítear drámaíocht, scannán, na hamharc-ealaíona, rince agus ceol. Agus an spás nuálach seo á chruthú, baintear leas as an taithí ollmhór atá ag Smashing Times maidir le tionscadail ealaíon a stiúradh go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta agus a cháil dhomhanda as sármhaitheas maidir le cleachtas ealaíon gairmiúil agus sóisialta a úsáid chun comhionannas a chur chun cinn.

Tá an-thaithí ag Smashing Times ar na healaíona a úsáid chun saincheisteanna a chur chun cinn ag leibhéil áitiúla, náisiúnta agus Eorpacha, ag nascadh le heagraíochtaí in Éirinn, i dTuaisceart Éireann, san Eoraip agus go hidirnáisiúnta, i dtíortha lena n-áirítear an Ríocht Aontaithe, an Spáinn, an Ghearmáin, an Pholainn, an Tuirc, an tSeirbia, an Chróit, an Bhulgáir, an Ísiltír, Srí Lanca, an Ghréig agus an Laitvia. Cuirtear an obair i láthair i raon suíomhanna, ar an stáitse agus ar an scáileán, ón spás drámaíochta agus ealaíon gairmiúil, go dtí camchuartaíocht i scoileanna agus i bpobail ina dtugtar cuireadh dúinn oibriú i gcomhpháirt le daoine ó gach aois agus cultúr, go háirithe pobail imeallaithe agus faoi mhíbhuntáiste. Oibríonn an comhlacht le raon eagraíochtaí lena n-áirítear scoileanna, grúpaí óige agus daoine fásta agus an pobal i gcoitinne. Bunaíodh Smashing Times ar dtús i 1991 ag grúpa ealaíontóirí ban a bhuail le chéile ag an Focus Theatre, Baile Átha Cliath. Bunaíodh an comhlacht mar chomhlacht gairmiúil drámaíochta a tháirgeann drámaí agus cláir for-rochtana in Éirinn agus i dTuaisceart Éireann agus níos déanaí, ar fud na hEorpa. In 2015 leathnaigh an comhlacht chun cleachtas scannán gairmiúil agus teicneolaíochtaí digiteacha nua a ionchorprú, ag cur cur chuige idirdhisciplíneach maidir le feidhmíocht agus rannpháirtíocht chun cinn. In 2017 bhí an-áthas ar an gcomhlacht Gradam Ealaíon daa a bheith bronnta air ag Searmanas Dámhachtana Allianz Business to Arts ag Amharclann Bhord Gáis Energy, Baile Átha Cliath, á chur i láthair ag Pascal Donohoe TD, an tAire Airgeadais agus Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe. Ba mhór an onóir dúinn freisin é nuair a bronnadh Gradam Tionchair GSK Ireland agus Gradam Spiorad Pobail Bhus Átha Cliath orainn.

Artists and Staff | Ealaíontóirí agus Foireann

Artistic Director and CEO: Mary Moynihan

Stiúrthóir Ealaíne agus Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin: Mary Moynihan

Mary Moynihan is a writer, theatre and film-maker, and Artistic Director of Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and a Theatre Lecturer at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama.

As Artistic Director of Smashing Times, Mary specialises in using the arts to promote human rights, peace building, gender equality and positive mental health, developing cutting edge, arts-based projects with a range of organisations. Award winning projects include Acting for the Future which uses theatre to promote positive mental health, run in partnership with the Samaritans and the highly successful Women War and Peace using theatre and film to promote equality and peace. Company patrons are First Lady Sabina Coyne Higgins, Senator Joan Freeman, founder of Pieta House, Ger Ryan, actor and Tim Pat Coogan, writer and historian.

As a playwright, Mary’s work includes the highly acclaimed The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII by Mary Moynihan, Deirdre Kinahan, Paul Kennedy and Fiona Bawn Thompson; In One Breath from the award-winning Testimonies (co-written with Paul Kennedy); Constance and Her Friends and Grace and Joe – selected by President Michael D. Higgins for performance at Áras an Uachtaráin for Culture Night 2016 – and May Our Faces Haunt You and Silent Screams.

As a theatre director, professional directing credits include The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII by Mary Moynihan, Fiona Bawn Thompson, Deirdre Kinahan and Paul Kennedy, on Irish and international tour (co-director Bairbre Ni Chaoimh); scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; Uprising scripted by Tara McKevitt and devised by Smashing Times Theatre Company at Project Arts Centre Dublin and on national tour; Thou Shalt Not Kill by Paul Kennedy at Project Arts Centre Dublin and Lyric Theatre Belfast; Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett Theatre; Macbeth by William Shakespeare, DIT Theatre; Orphans by Dennis Kelly, Focus Theatre; The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Grangegorman; Shattering Glass and In One Breath (Testimonies) for Smashing Times at Project Arts Centre and Helix Theatre, Dublin.

Mary’s film work includes the hour-long television documentary Stories from the Shadows, the short film Tell Them Our Names (selected for the London Eye International Film Festival and the Kerry Film Festival) and the creative documentary Women in an Equal Europe.

Mary has an honours MA in Film Production from DIT and an honours BA in Drama and Theatre Studies from the University of Dublin Trinity College. Mary originally trained as an actor and director at Focus Theatre under the direction of Deirdre O’Connell, her friend and mentor.

Mary’s theatre and film work are physical-based and focus on primal, visceral and intuitive responses to vulnerability and conflict and an exploration of self and the other. She focuses on the interconnectedness of the body, voice and imagination and the use of creative physical and spiritual energies, revealing the inner life through physical and intuitive engagements.

Is scríbhneoir, déantóir drámaíochta agus scannán, agus Stiúrthóir Ealaíne ar an Lárionad Idirnáisiúnta na nEalaíon agus an Chomhionannais Smashing Times agus ar Chomhlacht Drámaíochta agus Scannán Smashing Times í Mary Moynihan.

Mar Stiúrthóir Ealaíne Smashing Times, is í speisialtóireacht Mary ná na healaíona a úsáid chun cearta an duine, cothú na síochána, comhionannas inscne agus meabhairshláinte dhearfach a chur chun cinn, ag forbairt tionscadal ealaíon ceannródaíoch le raon eagraíochtaí. I measc na dtionscadal a raibh páirt lárnach ag Mary iontu agus a bhfuil gradaim bainte amach acu tá Acting for the Future, a úsáideann drámaíocht chun meabhairshláinte dhearfach a chur chun cinn, a reáchtáiltear i gcomhpháirtíocht leis na Samaritans; agus an tionscadal fíor-rathúil Women War and Peace a bhaineann úsáid as drámaíocht agus scannán chun comhionannas agus síocháin a chur chun cinn. Is iad pátrúin Smashing Times ná aisteoir, gníomhaí polaitíochta agus Céadbhean na hÉireann Sabina Higgins; seanadóir agus bunaitheoir Pieta House Joan Freeman; Ger Ryan, aisteoir; agus Tim Pat Coogan, scríbhneoir agus staraí.

Mar dhrámadóir, áirítear ar shaothar Mary an dráma mór le rá The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII (ina theannta Paul Kennedy, Féilim James, agus Fiona Bawn-Thompson); In One Breath ó Testimonies, a bhuaigh duaiseanna (comhscríofa le Paul Kennedy); Constance and Her Friends agus Grace and Joe – roghnaithe ag an Uachtarán Michael D Higgins le bheith léirithe ag Áras an Uachtaráin le haghaidh Oíche Chultúir 2016; May Our Faces Haunt You; agus Silent Screams.

Mar stiúrthóir drámaíochta, cuirtear san áireamh le creidiúintí stiúrtha ghairmiúil Mary The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII, scríofa ag Mary Moynihan, Paul Kennedy, Féilim James, agus Fiona Bawn-Thompson, ar chamchuairt Éireannach agus idirnáisiúnta (comhstiúrthóir: Bairbre Ní Chaoimh); radhairc ó A Midsummer Night’s Dream le William Shakespeare d’Amharclann na Mainistreach, Baile Átha Cliath; Uprising, réamhscriptithe ag Tara McKevitt agus arna cheapadh ag Comhlacht Dramaíochta Smashing Times ag an Project Arts Centre, Baile Átha Cliath, agus ar chamchuairt náisiúnta; Thou Shalt Not Kill le Paul Kennedy ag an Project Arts Centre, Baile Átha Cliath, agus ag Amharclann an Lyric, Béal Feirste; Romeo and Juliet le William Shakespeare, Amharclann Samuel Beckett; Macbeth le William Shakespeare, Amharclann DIT; Orphans le Dennis Kelly, Amharclann Focus; The Crucible le hArthur Miller, Gráinseach Ghormáin; agus Shattering Glass agus In One Breath (Testimonies) le haghaidh Smashing Times, ag an Project Arts Centre agus Amharclann Helix, Baile Átha Cliath.

Áirítear ar shaothar scannáin Mary an clár faisnéise teilifíse uair an chloig Stories From the Shadows, an gearrscannán ‘Tell Them Our Names’ (a roghnaíodh le haghaidh Féile Scannáin Idirnáisiúnta London Eye agus Féile Scannán Chiarraí) agus an clár faisnéise cruthaitheach Women in an Equal Europe.

Tá MA onóracha ag Mary i Léiriú Scannáin ó DIT agus BA honóracha sa Staidéar Drámaíochta agus Amharclannaíochta ó Choláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath. Chuaigh Mary faoi oiliúint ar dtús mar aisteoir agus stiúrthóir ag Focus Theatre faoi stiúir Deirdre O’Connell, a cara agus a meantóir.

Tá saothair drámaíochta agus scannáin Mary bunaithe go fisiciúil agus díríonn siad ar fhreagraí príomhúla, instinniúla agus iomasacha ar leochaileacht, coimhlint, an duine féin agus an duine eile. Díríonn sí ar idirnascadh an choirp, an ghutha agus na samhlaíochta agus ar úsáid fuinneamh cruthaitheach, fisiciúil agus spioradálta, ag nochtadh an tsaoil inmheánaigh trí rannpháirtíochtaí fisiceacha agus iomasacha.

Producer and Company Manager: Freda Manweiler

Léiritheoir agus Bainisteoir Comhlachta: Freda Manweiler

Freda has worked with Smashing Times since 1999. She is highly skilled in project management, coordination and implementation. She has extensive experience working at a European level developing and delivering a range of European Initiatives, collaborating with over 50 cultural, educational and civil society organisations from over 22 European Countries. Promoting European Values through working on activities and projects that promote human rights, gender equality, positive mental health, remembrance and civic engagement.

She has worked developing and coordinating accredited training programmes,  professional productions, and community exchanges using creative methods to  promote peace building and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.  Working particularly with hard to reach communities in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties building strong community relations. Freda has been instrumental in bringing the learning gained from the Northern Ireland Peace Process to communities experiencing conflict in other European states. 

She has produced and toured a number of professional performances in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

She is coordinator of the award winning, Acting For The Future programme that uses drama and theatre to promote positive mental health and suicide prevention, which was developed and run in association with the Samaritans and the Irish Association of Suicidology throughout the island of Ireland. As part of her work for Smashing Times she is responsible for all aspects of management and project development and is also involved in teaching practice.

She has extensive experience in team management through her work with Smashing Times as a manager and as a manager and Employment Assessment Coordinator for a Working Skills Centre in Toronto, Canada. Her experience in Canada focused mainly on refugee resettlement, managing initiatives funded through the federal government of Canada. Her education includes a Bachelor in Social Work (2007) from the Open University and in 2012 she completed an MEd from the National University of Ireland/UCD.

Tá Freda ag obair le Smashing Times ó 1999. Tá sí an-oilte i mbainistíocht tionscadal, comhordú agus cur i bhfeidhm. Tá taithí fhairsing aici ag obair ar leibhéal Eorpach ag forbairt agus ag soláthar tionscnamh Eorpach, ag comhoibriú le breis agus 50 eagraíocht cultúrtha, oideachais agus sochaí sibhialta ó níos mó ná 22 tíortha Eorpacha. Is í speisialtóireacht Freda ná luachanna Eorpacha a chur chun cinn trí oibriú ar ghníomhaíochtaí agus ar thionscadail a chuireann cearta an duine, comhionannas inscne, meabhairshláinte dhearfach, cuimhneachán agus rannpháirtíocht shibhialta chun cinn.

D’oibrigh sí ag forbairt agus ag comhordú clár oiliúna creidiúnaithe, léiriúcháin ghairmiúla, agus malartuithe pobail ag úsáid modhanna cruthaitheacha chun cothú na síochána agus athmhuintearas a chur chun cinn ar oileán na hÉireann. Oibríonn sí go háirithe le pobail imeallaithe i dTuaisceart Éireann agus sna Contaetha Teorann ag tógáil caidreamh láidir pobail. Bhí baint lárnach ag Freda leis an bhfoghlaim a fuarthas ó Phróiseas Síochána Thuaisceart Éireann a thabhairt chuig pobail ag déileáil le coimhlint i stáit Eorpacha eile.

Léirigh Freda roinnt léirithe gairmiúla a chuaigh ar camchuairt in Éirinn agus i dTuaisceart Éireann.

Tá sí ina comhordaitheoir ar Acting For The Future, clár a bhuaigh gradam agus a úsáideann drámaíocht chun meabhairshláinte dhearfach agus cosc ​​féinmharaithe a chur chun cinn, a forbraíodh agus a reáchtáladh, i gcomhar leis na Samaritans agus an Irish Association of Suicidology, ar fud oileán na hÉireann. Mar chuid dá hoibre do Smashing Times tá sí freagrach as gach gné bainistíochta agus forbairt tionscadail agus tá baint aici freisin le cleachtas múinteoireachta.

Tá taithí fhairsing aici ar bhainistíocht foirne trína cuid oibre le Smashing Times mar Bhainisteoir, agus mar Bhainisteoir agus Comhordaitheoir Measúnaithe Fostaíochta le haghaidh Ionad Scileanna Oibre in Toronto, Ceanada. Dhírigh a taithí i gCeanada go príomha ar athlonnú dídeanaithe, ag bainistiú tionscnaimh arna maoiniú trí rialtas feidearálach Cheanada. Cuirtear san áireamh le hoideachas Freda Baitsiléir in Obair Shóisialta (2007) ón Ollscoil Oscailte agus in 2012 chríochnaigh sí MEd ó Ollscoil na hÉireann/UCD.

Board of Directors | Bord Stiúrthóirí

  • Dr Eric Weitz (Chairperson), Associate Professor of Drama, School of Drama, Film and Music, Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College, Dublin 2 | (Cathaoirleach), Ollamh Comhlach Drámaíochta, Scoil na Drámaíochta, Scannáin agus Ceoil, Ionad Samuel Beckett, Coláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath 2
  • Olivia O’Hagan, Business Advisor, Invest NI | Comhairleoir Gnó, Invest NI
  • Jules Buckley, Marketing Executive | Feidhmeannach Margaíochta

Patrons | Pátrúin

  • Sabina Higgins, actor and political activist | aisteoir, gníomhaí polaitíochta agus Céadbhean na hÉireann
  • Joan Freeman, psychologist | Seanadóir agus bunaitheoir Pieta House
  • Ger Ryan, actor | aisteoir
  • Tim Pat Coogan, writer and historian | scríbhneoir agus staraí

Founding Patrons | Pátrúin Bhunaidh

  • Maeve Binchy, author, playwright, columnist and speaker | údar, drámadóir, colúnaí agus cainteoir
  • Brian Friel, dramatist, short story writer, and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company | drámadóir, scríbhneoir gearrscéalta, agus bunaitheoir an Field Day Theatre Company

Annual Audited Accounts

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2022

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2021

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2020

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2019

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2018

Smashing Times Audited Accounts 2017

Smashing Times Policies

Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy

Complaints Procedures

Code and Standard of Practice

Privacy Statement

Environmental Policy

Artistic Policy

Supporters and Partners | Tacadóirí agus Comhpháirtithe

The Department of Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht’s Arts & Culture Capital Scheme have kindly provided funding for the Smashing Times Online Centre for the Arts and Equality.

We are grateful for funding received from a variety of different funding bodies, such as the Erasmus+ and Europe for Citizens Programmes of the European Union, Dublin City Council, ESB Energy for Generations Fund, the HSE, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and more.

We are also pleased to continue our partnerships with various organisations on a number of different projects, such as the Samaritans; the Irish Association of Suicidology; Frontline Defenders, Trinity College Dublin Department of Drama; Slí an Chroí; our wide network of European partners and many more.

We are very thankful to EM Creative for designing this site. Visit their website here.

Tá maoiniú curtha ar fáil ag Scéim Chaipitil Ealaíon & Cultúir na Roinne Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta don Lárionad Ar Líne na nEalaíon agus an Chomhionannais Smashing Times.

Táimid buíoch as an gcistiú a fuarthas ó raon de chomhlachtaí maoinithe éagsúla, ar nós Cláir Erasmus+ agus Eoraip do Shaoránaigh an Aontais Eorpaigh, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath, Ciste ESB Energy for Generations, HSE, An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála, agus a thuilleadh.

Tá áthas orainn freisin leanúint lenár gcomhpháirtíochtaí le heagraíochtaí éagsúla ar roinnt tionscadal éagsúil, mar na Samáraigh; Irish Association of Suicidology; Frontline Defenders; Roinn Drámaíochta Choláiste na Tríonóide; Slí an Chroí; ár líonra leathan comhpháirtithe Eorpacha; agus go leor eile.

Táimid fíor-bhuíoch do EM Creative as an suíomh seo a dhearadh. Tabhair cuairt ar a láithreán gréasáin anseo.

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality

Registered Charity Number (RCN) | Uimhir Charthanais Chláraithe: 20033927