Work Songs: Call for Interest from a South Dublin County business or workplace

By revisiting the traditional genre of work-songs, the artists will explore the contemporary relevance of singing at work. They will design a work-song for the chosen business in collaboration with the staff and management. The work-song will be performed and filmed in the workplace itself and in a concert hall or theatre, at a later stage.

The artists will bring music into the workplace, highlighting the working rhythms of the County. The workplace together with the artists will explore the possibilities and potential of work-songs in the modern world as they co-create their song. Will songs in the workplace enhance productivity? Draw people together? Lift workers’ spirits?

In total, five workplaces will participate in Work Songs. FoodCloud, Friarstown Allotments, Platform One Writers, Tallaght Hospital and one final workplace will collaborate with Fiona and George to create their own work song. 

Time commitment: Between January and June 2018, there will be a short meeting with a company representative, two half-days of observation and conversations (with minimal disruption to the working day), a feedback session, two to four short rehearsals and a filmed performance.

Benefits: In recent years, TV programmes such as The Choir and competitions such as Workplace Choir of the Year have brought the workplace song into the spotlight. Recent research has detailed the manifest benefits of singing to workers’ morale, cohesion, reduced stress levels, as well as improved productivity.

Do you work in a bakery, a tech company or garage? If your business had a work song what would it be?

Interested in getting involved? Download more information below and email Fiona Dowling and George Higgs at southdublinworksongs@gmail.com to register your interest.

Work Songs is commissioned under IN CONTEXT 4 - IN OUR TIME, South Dublin County Council’s Public Art Programme 2016-2019 under the Per Cent for Art scheme.