SETU launched the Amber Women’s Refuge One Million Stars ‘LOVE’ Installation at its Cork Road campus in Waterford on 14 October.
Inclusive community art project
The One Million Stars Ireland project is run by the Amber Women’s Refuge, the domestic abuse service for women and children in the Kilkenny and Carlow areas. The project is an inclusive community arts project connecting communities across Ireland in solidarity against domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.
The ‘LOVE’ art installation features thousands of woven, eight-point stars representing light hope, and solidarity. The points of the star constitute the project’s eight points of healthy love in relationships. The creation of the installation was led by Art Therapist and Project Lead, Siobhan McQuillan. The project involved weaving groups from 26 counties, with over 430,000 stars woven since its genesis in 2019.
Speaking about how the project came about, Siobhan said, “One Million Stars Ireland uses art as activism to create public art installations that shine a light on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV). The project supports a core recommendation of the implementation plan for ‘Zero Tolerance’, the third national strategy to tackle DSGBV, that involves raising public awareness of DSGBV in all its forms and across all groups in society. Volunteer star weavers from Waterford have contributed over 32,000 stars to the LOVE installation, woven at 30 workshops facilitated by Waterford Volunteer Centre. It’s wonderful to see stars now on display at SETU.”
SETU’s commitment of hope and solidarity
The event was open to all staff and students at SETU, with Dr Allison Kenneally, Vice President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at SETU and Roisin Shanahan, SETU Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention and Response Manager, both addressing the crowd during the launch.
Speaking to attendees, Dr Allison Kenneally said, “We at SETU are truly delighted to have to the Amber Women's Refuge Love Installation and art exhibition at SETU’s campus in Waterford until November 2024. Today marks a significant moment where we come together in advance of the 16 Days of Action to affirm our commitment of hope and light in Ireland, in solidarity against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”
Róisín Shanahan, commented, “Having the LOVE Installation on campus is another initiative that demonstrates SETU’s commitment to tackling gender-based violence and supports us in implementing our Sexual Violence and Harassment Action plan.”
Partnering with community to raise awareness
Speaking about the unveiling of the art installation at SETU, Lisa Morris, Manager at Amber Women’s Refuge said, “Thank you SETU for hosting our LOVE Stars installation at your Waterford campus. The installation showcases thousands of eight-pointed stars woven by volunteer stars weavers from Waterford and 25 other counties. Each star represents light, hope and solidarity against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). From the age of 18, one in four Irish women will experience some form of abuse from an intimate partner during their lifetime. The LOVE stars raise awareness that intimate partner abuse (IPA) can happen to anyone, sending the message to those impacted that they are not alone.”
Travelling community art
The travelling art piece was previously featured at SETU’s Kilkenny Road campus in Carlow. Lisa Morris continued, “This is the second time that our One Million Stars Ireland project has partnered with SETU as the stars visited the Carlow campus in 2023. I’d like to commend SETU’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion team for their continuing efforts to spotlight the issue of DSGBV on their campuses.”
Visit the ‘LOVE’ art installation outside the Tourism and Leisure Building, Waterford campus. All are welcome to pin a star onto the art installation. For more information visit onemillionstarsireland.ie