ONE MILLION STARS TO END VIOLENCE PROJECT

People across Kilkenny have come together to take part in the One Million Stars to End Violence project. A project which initially started by a Samoan - Australian artist, Maryann Talia Pau. Siobhan McQuillan, an art therapist, working with Amber Women's Refuge brought the project to Kilkenny.

The Amber Star project's aims to raise awareness and provide information about domestic violence in the Kilkenny/ Carlow area. This began prior to Covid-19 by reaching out to a wide age and social demographic through community star weaving workshops. Groups worked towards the goal of assembling the stars together in a public installation. It is hoped the exhibition will take place during the 16 Days of Activism, later this year.

The Covid-19 crisis saw the end of group weaving, however people continued to weave stars at home. Kilkenny County Council Arts Officer and Environmental Awareness Officer is supporting the Amber Women's Refuge in their quest to complete the One Million Stars Project.

The Council's Environment Section wants to showcase that all types of materials are suitable to make the stars, while ribbon is preferred, the Environmental Awareness Officer is conscious that people at home may not have ribbon, so other materials can be substituted instead, materials which lie in the recycling bin can be destined for the night sky, you just need some imagination! Try your hand at weaving a star, so far materials tried and tested include light cardboard, newspaper and an old plastic vinyl sheet which was destined for the bin.

Check out the face book pages of the Amber Women's Refuge and the Kilkenny Arts Office to see the latest project developments and tutorial videos on how to become a star weaver.