Throughout his residency, Hánt will focus on reconnecting with the Irish language and his roots in traditional music, creating new songs as Gaeilge. During his time in Baile Mhúirne, he will immerse himself in the Gaeltacht, collaborate with local musician Amhlaoibh McSweeney, and work closely with other local musicians and people from the community - through a specially curated workshop programme sharing music and Gaeilge along the way.
His journey will be captured by a videographer creating a mini-documentary that will follow both the creative process and the powerful experience of reconnecting with language, music, and community. Hánt will also have an opportunity to be mentored by renowned musician and community music facilitator Jim Murray as they deliver a series of workshops in the community in the surrounding area.
Speaking about the appointment Hánt said: "I am extremely grateful to have this opportunity to be the artist in residence in Baile Mhúirne in October and November. I'm excited to get back to my roots in Irish traditional music and to meet the local musicians in Baile Mhúirne and collaborate to create some new music as Gaeilge!"
This opportunity follows the appointment of Patrick stefan in 2024 as the first Irish Musician-in-Residence in a residency specifically for a professional musician who is autistic/a person with autism, a partnership between Music Network and St. John’s Theatre and Arts Centre, Listowel.
The residency was developed in recognition of the fact that professional musicians who are autistic/people with autism face barriers to career progression that others may not. The main purpose of the residency is to provide time and space for the Musician-in-Residence to develop their practice intensively.
Music Network along with its residency partners is also seeking to create the conditions to influence social change in the music sector in general and hopes to gain knowledge on how autistic people/people with autism can be better included and facilitated both in its own programmes and in the wider sector, whether in performance or educational environments.
Commenting on the announcement, CEO of Music Network Sharon Rollston said: “We are delighted to partner with Ionad Cultúrtha on this residency, supporting Hánt in taking his creative practice in new and exciting directions. This is only the second residency of its kind in Ireland, and we see it as a valuable opportunity not only to support Hánt but also to learn from him as he spends time at the venue as Musician-in-Residence.”
Artistic Director of Ionad Cultúrtha Liadh Ní Riada said "We are really looking forward to hearing the work created by Hánt during his residency here in the Ionad Cultúrtha. We hope this unique residency will inspire many others to embrace autism with a sense of appreciation and admiration as well as providing hope for future supports in the artistic landscape.”
Hánt will commence his residency this October and the two month opportunity will provide him with an €8,000 bursary as well as dedicated space and time to develop his artistic practice and create new work.
This programme is presented by Music Network in partnership with Ionad Cultúrtha, supported by the Arts Council, Ealaín na Gaeltachta and Cork Education and Training Board.