Rosemary Cronin

Aged 16 I joined the Tate Modern’s Youth Programme, where I curated and ran events fro other 15-23 year olds.

Meeting people in the art world gave me the confidence to apply to art school. I got into my dream art school (Chelsea), and made the m0st of every moment. It totally changed my world! While studying I became involved in running creative workshops for Families and little ones at Tate, then when I finished my degree I toured the nation running animation workshops in hard-to-reach areas (from Belfast to Cornwall!) for the Tate Movie Project. Every drawing and sound was used to create a film, ‘The Itch of the Golden Gnit’ that won a BAFTA. In my own artistic profession I was asked to write and be part of a discussion at the ICA, showed work alongside Michael Craig-Martin, Sam Taylor Wood and Bob & Roberta Smith in Covent Garden’s piazza.

I now work for Art on the Underground devising and running workshops for young people; as well as running the Young People’s Programme at the National Portrait Gallery.

I have chosen to volunteer for Arts Emergency as I believe art should be accessible for all; everyone should be encouraged to pursue whatever they want to in life, and that Society should help them in their pursuit. I freelance at Tate & The V&A Museum too, and would be able to take my mentee to exhibitions for free, but also give a proper cup of tea and a chat. Art school completely changed my life; it was meeting people in the art world when I was younger that encouraged me to follow my dreams, now I would love to support someone following theirs in the art world.