The Model is hosting Christmas Markets on three Sundays in December – and we’re on the lookout for passionate local businesses, vintage sellers, talented creators and unique makers to get involved!

This will be a great opportunity to showcase your work in our bright and beautiful building, connect with new audiences, and join a vibrant celebration of creativity and community.

From handcrafted gifts and artisan wares to vintage clothes and tasty treats, we want to highlight the incredible talent and style our region has to offer – and give visitors the chance to shop local.

If you're a maker, seller, or small business owner and would like to be involved, we’d love to hear from you!

To express your interest, please fill out the form below.

The Model initiated a unique Arts & Health project at Sligo University Hospital’s new offsite ward at St John’s in 2026, creating opportunities for patients and staff to engage with an artist during their hospital stay.

The project began when The Model reached out to the hospital to explore how the significant arts and health work already undertaken across nursing homes in Sligo could be extended into a busy clinical environment.

For patients spending long periods in hospital, time can be repetitive and isolating. Through simple, accessible creative activities, the project offered an opportunity to step outside the routine of care and treatment, engage the imagination, and make space for curiosity and creativity.

Artist Andy Parsons led the project, drawing on his extensive experience working in Arts and Health contexts. Responding to the practical realities of an acute hospital environment, including limited space and infection-control requirements, the artist developed flexible activities using watercolour, collage, pencil and clay. There was no expectation of a finished artwork or outcome; the emphasis was on participation, curiosity and individual expression.

Shauna Horan, Clinical Nurse Manager at the Medical Offsite Ward, said:

“Despite some obstacles, including outbreaks and reduced staffing, we feel the project was very successful and thoroughly enjoyed by both patients and staff. It was lovely to see some of the artwork displayed on the ward, and some of our patients who are here for an extended period participated multiple times in the classes. It was so lovely to have an activity for them to do in the evenings, as it can be a long day in here for some of our patients.”

Reflecting on the project, artist Andy Parsons said:

“Small pockets of time spent away from the ward undertaking art-based activities can change the tone of a patient’s day, and improve their whole experience of staying in hospital. The potential of this transformative work is enormous, and demands as much energy and focus as artists and institutions can give to it.”

Even a small artistic intervention can meaningfully shift the experience of a hospital environment, creating moments of creativity, connection and agency through simple acts of making. The St John’s project demonstrated the value of bringing artists into places where art has to negotiate its space, offering meaningful encounters and creative possibilities for both patients and staff in the midst of a long hospital day.

In relation to his own practice, Andy found that the project further confirmed the relational potential of practical art activities and slow looking, while also reaffirming the wider value and potential of arts in health within hospital settings.

This project was generously funded by Sligo County Council and the Creative Ireland Programme 2023–2027. It was developed in partnership with staff at Sligo University Hospital, with support from the hospital’s Research & Education Foundation.

Andy Parsons’ practice combines working in community contexts with making drawing, sculpture and painting. Projects have focused on people and places, and on activities where people work together and help each other. He has worked in a Community Care setting for older people, Mental Health Inpatients, and a community boatbuilding project in the Sligo docks.

Andy Parsons has received several significant awards, including the Pollock Krasner Foundation Award. He has exhibited in exhibitions internationally, with solo shows in London and Tokyo.

We were delighted to recently welcome back old and new members of Young Model, our vibrant visual arts programme that empowers young participants to discover their unique artistic voice, create boldly, and see their ideas come to life.

Developed in response to the need for greater access to professional artistic mentorship and creative opportunities, Young Model creates an environment where young people feel empowered, capable and inspired to explore their creativity. The programme is a key priority for The Model, reflecting our commitment to engaging audiences and communities as outlined in our Strategic Plan 2024–2028.

Young Model first emerged in 2024 following the success of The Sunset Belongs to You portrait project. Since then, it has continued to evolve, creating positive opportunities for young people to connect, collaborate and express themselves through contemporary art practice.

Over three Saturdays this spring, young people worked alongside artist Bryan Gerard Duffy, exploring ideas, developing creative skills and experimenting with new approaches to making art. An important milestone in the programme was a visit from acclaimed UK artist Bob and Roberta Smith, whose session encouraged participants to explore themes of identity, music, performance, environmental issues, and their experiences of growing up in Sligo.

The creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm displayed by participants over the past sessions have been truly inspiring, and we are excited to see how these ideas continue to evolve. Bob and Roberta Smith's visit marked the beginning of a longer creative journey, with further workshops planned and the foundations being laid for an ambitious collaborative project in 2027.

As Young Model continues to grow, more opportunities for creative engagement will be announced soon. We look forward to welcoming both returning and new members as the programme develops.