Wicklow County Arts Office’s Artist one-to-one Coaching Sessions return for 2023!

Open to applications from Tuesday 28th Feb, the deadline to apply is Thursday 16th March at 4pm.

Designed to cater for a range of artists at different career stages, successful applicants will work individually with four experienced coaches from the arts and cultural sector. The goals of  the sessions are agreed between client and coach. In previous iterations of the scheme, areas of focus addressed included:

·        Identifying strengths and areas for growth

·        Setting goals and priorities

·        Creating sustainable plans and realistic strategies

·        Ensuring conscious and informed decision making

·        Increasing confidence and working with imposter syndrome

·        Finding direction, energy and creative resilience

In order to take part, applicants will submit an expression of interest through an online application process. If successful, they will receive three one-to-one coaching sessions between April - September to support their thinking, prioritisation and goal orientation for 2023.

The coaches facilitating this opportunity in 2023 are;

·        Katherine Zeserson, a strategic advisor, coach, facilitator, artist and educator

·        Susan Coughlan, independent facilitator, coach and arts consultant 

·        Helen Meany, arts writer, arts consultant and coach

·        Paula Phelan, musician and founder of Traverso Coaching and Training

This award is open to artists and arts professionals across all art forms and genres. Applicants must be native to County Wicklow or residing in County Wicklow for the past three consecutive years.

Closing date for applications is Thursday 16th March at 4pm. 

What is one to one coaching?

One to one coaching is a rich process based on deep listening and active reflection, which has the potential to support personal,  professional and  / or artistic practice development. It provides a safe and open environment in which artists can explore the scope of their experiences and aspirations,  identify areas of growth and establish goals. The coach will support the artist to create informed and sustainable plans to realise strategies with confidence. Ideal for an artist at any career level, the one-to-one coaching initiative offers artists the opportunity to find direction, energy and creative resilience for change and growth.

Artist feedback from last year’s sessions

'The coaching helped me to clear away the fog to see where I am and how I might proceed from here.'

‘The coaching taught me how to set boundaries with my time, recognise my worth as an artist and the work I create, and find a new voice within my work.'

'I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to my Coach about my projects but also how to ensure I take care of myself around these projects.'

Coaches Biographies

Katherine Zeserson

Katherine Zeserson is a strategic advisor, coach, facilitator, artist and educator. She believes in the power of reflective practice to inspire human development and build compassionate communities.  She qualified as a coach with Relational Dynamics 1st in 2016, and has a varied free-lance portfolio combining one to one coaching and mentoring; organisational and leadership development; creative practice as a musician and writer; design and delivery of professional training in a wide range of third sector contexts; speaking engagements and guest lecturing.  She often works at the intersections between leadership culture and creative practice. 

Susan Coughlan

Susan Coughlan is an experienced independent facilitator, coach and consultant in the arts and cultural sector. She has worked with over 100 Irish artists and arts organisations over the past 25 years. Through her business, Art of Change she helps individual practitioners, arts organisations and teams to create and navigate change and transition. She is a qualified Relational Dynamics 1st coach, Enneagram Coach, Action Learning Facilitator and organization change consultant.  Susan has formerly worked in arts development, philanthropy, community arts, theatre production, youth work and community development. See www.artofchange.ie for more information about the enneagram and Susan’s approach.

Helen Meany

Helen Meany is an arts consultant, coach and curator, with a background in arts journalism.

She was Literature Advisor with the Arts Council from 2011-18 and is an experienced assessor of funding applications for grants and awards, both for the Arts Council and for local authority Arts Offices. She currently works as a consultant with a wide range of arts organisations, including festivals and arts centres.

A qualified Coach with a Diploma in Coaching from the Irish Life Coach Institute (2016-17), Helen offers one-to-one coaching and group facilitation, as well as mentoring/consulting support for individuals in their creative and leadership development. Helen incorporates a range of approaches and techniques into her coaching sessions, being mindful always to reflect and respond to the client’s own preferences and aspirations.

Paula Phelan

Kildare native Paula, originally trained as a musician and has had a varied career across 20 years in the Arts and Community sectors. Paula advocates strongly for the wellbeing of creatives and believes in the power of person centred coaching as a methodology to enable growth.  Paula is the founder of Traverso Coaching and Training and is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council where she holds senior practitioner accreditation. Alongside her coaching practice Paula designs and delivers training, supports strategic thinking and evaluation and advises on youth arts programming.