Outcomes
The primary artistic outcome was a series of small-format, hand-assembled zines produced through the women’s community press. Each zine became both an artwork and a container of collective experience.
The zines were distributed back to participants, allowing them to see their contributions within a shared object.
Copies were also quietly and playfully disseminated in bookshops. This informal distribution allowed the work to circulate beyond traditional exhibition spaces and invited chance encounters.
Participant Voices
“It felt like being listened to in a different way — like the small things I said mattered.”
“Seeing my words in the zine made it feel real. It was strange and beautiful at the same time.”
“I liked that it didn’t feel formal. It felt playful. It gave me permission to not know what I was doing.”
“Finding the zine later brought me back to the group. It felt like holding a piece of that time.”
“I love the idea that someone might find it in a library and not know where it came from.”
Support
This project was supported by the Clare Local Area Grants Scheme and a bursary award from Clare County Council.
Details & Info
Community Press
Collaboration with Éilís Murphy (folded Leaf)
2025
This collaborative project with artist Éilís Murphy took the form of a women’s community press, exploring collective authorship, memory and lived experience. Rooted in conversation, trust, and shared making, the project invited women participants to contribute fragments of their own stories, and drawings.
Working through an informal workshop and one-to-one encounters, Maeve and Éilís created a space where participants could reflect on their personal and shared environments. The women’s community press functioned as both a creative and social structure. It was a place where participants could experiment with writing, mark-making, collage, and conversation. The emphasis was on play, openness, and experimentation.
The artists worked collaboratively with these materials, assembling and designing a collection of zines that reflected the multiplicity of voices involved.
