Community Arts professional, Jemma Robinson, presented with award to support the creative progression of disabled young people
27th August, 2026
Finance and Programme Officer with Open Arts, Jemma Robinson, has been presented with the Anne O’Donoghue Award, an Arts Council of Northern Ireland career development award. The award was established in memory of the late Anne O’Donoghue, a trailblazer in participatory arts, and is dedicated to supporting the professional development of arts managers and administrators working within community and participatory arts organisations in Northern Ireland.
The annual award is funded through the National Lottery and administered by Community Arts Partnership on behalf of the Arts Council. This year’s awardee, Jemma Robinson, currently works as Finance and Programme Officer with Open Arts, an arts and disability organisation that supports the creative and artistic development of disabled people.
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In 2024, Jemma became the only qualified Arts Award Adviser in Northern Ireland, specialising in working with SEND young people, to assess Arts Awards, a nationally recognised qualification which inspires young people to grow their own arts and leadership talents.
Arts Award can be achieved on five levels with Jemma currently being able to assess on four. Jemma will use now the Anne O’Donoghue Award to complete training to be able to deliver to the highest level. To achieve this, she will receive training with TramShed Theatre Company in Blackpool.
Commenting on the award, Jemma Robinson said, "I’m proud to receive the Anne O'Donoghue Award and begin a project that will strengthen my delivery of Arts Award with disabled young people, while expanding access to arts opportunities equal to those available to their non disabled peers. With no specialist SEND training or peer learning available in Northern Ireland, visiting TramShed Theatre Company in Blackpool is both challenging and essential for my development as an Adviser.
"By learning from a recognised centre in inclusive Arts Award practice, I will build the skills, confidence and adaptable methods needed to support disabled young people to become future artists and arts leaders, and to strengthen the visibility of disabled artists across the sector.”
The Anne O’Donoghue award was established under the Arts Council’s existing Support for the Individual Artist Programme (SIAP) as part of its continuing commitment to creating a sector that develops by growing artistic talent and developing the wider arts workforce, so that the sector is more inclusive and reflective of society. Community Arts Partnership, the leading agency for community arts in NI, administer the award on behalf of the Arts Council.
Conor Shields, CEO, Community Arts Partnership, said, “We are delighted to offer the Anne O’Donoghue Award to Jemma Robinson. Her application was exceptional. Her project in the year ahead will not only advance her own professional practice but create more equitable creative pathways for disabled people to access and participate in the arts locally. Jemma's programme of learning is a fitting reflection of Anne O'Donoghue's commitment to broadening access, nurturing creativity and strengthening community arts.”
Lizzie Devlin, Community Arts Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added, “Anne O’Donoghue contributed a huge amount to the life and legacy of the arts in Northern Ireland, and we are delighted to make this award available in her memory to Jemma Robinson in support of her career. Thanks to the National Lottery players, this funding will support the professional advancement of Jemma and benefit disabled young people in terms of their own creative progression routes, helping to build capacity within the arts sector and ensure that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy arts experiences.”
Anne O’Donoghue’s legacy is significant, joining the Play Resource Warehouse in 1984 where she remained as a committed director for thirty years, championing community arts practice. With this commitment in mind, the Anne O’Donoghue Award was established by the Arts Council to support an individual working in community arts. For information on all Arts Council NI funding opportunities visit www.artscouncil-ni.org