Mary Hickson: ‘Arts funding systems reduce our work to an application process’
As music, language and arts celebration Sounds from a Safe Harbour rolls into its tenth iteration this September, festival director Mary Hickson reflects on the reality of working in the arts in Ireland, what to expect from this year’s festivities, and the endless inspiration offered by her co-curator, Cillian Murphy.
Mary Hickson founded Sounds from a Safe Harbour in 2015 as part of her final programme as CEO in Cork Opera House, alongside Bryce Dessner. What was originally intended to be a once-off event left quite the impression, and was promptly extended to a two-year cycle.
“With the two-year cycle, you can put the whole thing away for a large chunk of time, let it go fallow, which I believe is very healthy and fruitful,” Mary explains. “I work alone for the majority of the planning and then the team starts to grow, which is my favourite part of the process. When I have ideas, I send them to the other curators and vice versa and the whole thing very quickly starts to build momentum.”
The festival takes place across Cork city from 11-14 September and is celebrated for its bold, boundary-pushing curation by Mary Hickson, Cillian Murphy, Bryce Dessner (The National), author Max Porter, and folklorist Billy MagFhlionn.
“We are a tight team,” Mary says. “I have a very close relationship with them all individually, so our conversations are very meaningful, honest, and productive. I would chat to at least one of them every day to bounce an idea around or they send things over and slowly this is how the programme forms.”
Sounds from a Safe Harbour invites audiences into a citywide experience of intimate performances, surprise happenings, and large-scale productions. Built around the celebrated 37d03d artist residency, the festival will once again spark unique collaborations and once-in-a-lifetime creative encounters.
As Mary puts it: “The most important part this year (as it always has been) is the Artist in Residency programme – which will feature over 70 artists who will come to Cork to work, rest and play together for the week of the festival.” This year, these artists include Angie McMahon, Bobby Fingers, RÓIS, The Staves and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.
I ask Mary how she would describe SFSH for someone who has never experienced it and the answer comes easy: “It’s about time, play and experimentation – for both the artist and audience,” she says. “We encourage people to stop, to take a breath, to try new things and be open to new experiences.”
“Every iteration has been magical and transformative – and it’s impossible to imagine the experiences we have today, for example, without having had the ones that came before. It’s my favourite project to work on, it’s entirely on my terms, I am fully in charge, it’s very empowering – and genuinely never feels like a burden of responsibility. It’s challenging, yes, but that means growth. Bring it on!”
A career in the arts isn’t something Mary necessarily aspired to, but an interest in music brought her through college and she learned that following her nose wouldn’t lead her astray. “I ended up here after learning how to tune into my gut instincts – the YES and NO is strong,” she says before elaborating on the best aspect of her role: “Creating the events – building the trust with the artists to give me the freedom to imagine and realise things with them.”
Working in the arts, however, is not without its drawbacks, and for Mary, the most challenging aspect of all is funding systems. “Our work gets reduced to an application process which needs to define and pre-empt/prescribe everything,” she says. “I firmly believe it’s all about process and for this to be successful, the guardians of said process need to let it take the shape that it needs to take – support that happening and get behind whatever it becomes. To allow failure and pivots until the “thing” reveals itself fully. To not force to confirm, not to force something to tick a box. Let it evolve.”
“The thing for me about working in the arts is you can’t really know what it’s like until you do it – until you get stuck in and get your hands dirty. Of course with hindsight at times I think it would be great to have understood that, but in my heart I know I would not fully understand it until I experienced it, until I felt the effect of it.”
In terms of who Mary Hickson looks up to in the realm of Irish arts, her co-curator and friend Cillian Murphy is top of the pile. “Cillian is obviously a huge inspiration – the reminder to always remain true to yourself. Dorothy Cross is another very close friend and inspiration; her approach to making and process is wonderful to witness, let alone have the fortune to be a part of.”
Finally, I ask Mary to share a piece of advice for those hoping to pursue a career in the arts themselves.
“Get stuck in, learn on the ground, walk the walk. Hearsay doesn’t get the job done, doesn’t teach you what kind of producer you might become, so I would advise people to engage, learn, fail, pick yourself up and go again.”
Mary Hickson’s life in culture
The last thing I saw and loved… Eileen Walsh in Second Woman for Cork Midsummer Festival. I popped in for a look at 7:30am and stayed for eight and a half hours. What an achievement, what an actor! I could have watched her for days.
The book I keep coming back to… Max Porter’s Grief is the Thing with Feathers – it’s a masterpiece.
I find inspiration in… Stillness and water, being near the sea in West Kerry. Emptying everything out and taking a breath. Intentionally slowing things down in order to meet the requirements of the job. I find that when I do this, I come back with more energy, more ideas and more determination.
My favourite film is… I suspect it will be STEVE, which I have not seen yet but it’s the creation of two of the people closest to me in my life (Cillian Murphy and Max Porter) so I cannot wait! It is based on Max’s book SHY, which he read to Cillian and I in full one afternoon in Kerry before it was published. An experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. Both heartbreaking and warming at the same time.
The song I listen to to get in the zone is… Sam Amidon’s All is Well album.
I never leave the house without… This is a very boring answer but the truth: my glasses. It’s a new phase of life for me and I am constantly having to return home for them. I cannot believe how much I rely on them now and how quickly it happened. I stopped using a handbag years ago, so I literally leave the house with phone, keys and glasses – mostly nothing else. My backpack if I am working.
The best advice I’ve ever gotten… That two things can be true at the same time. To try to understand things from another person’s perspective. Get out of your own way sometimes.
The art that means the most to me is… It’s impossible for me to answer this. When working on something, nothing is more important. Everything informs the next thing and how you might approach things. I really feel my work is evolving all the time, so everything and nothing means the most to me.
The most challenging thing about working in the arts is… Funding systems and how our work gets reduced to an application process which needs to define and pre-empt/prescribe everything. I firmly believe it’s all about process and for this to be successful, the guardians of said process need to let it take the shape that it needs to take – support that happening and get behind whatever it becomes. To allow failure and pivots until the “thing” reveals itself fully. To not force to confirm, not to force something to tick a box. Let it evolve.
If I wasn’t working in the arts, I would be… A nightmare for everyone around me!
The magic of the arts to me is… Following the instinct, getting behind a feeling – all the things we cannot see, we cannot define, all the energy that drives the work, to surrender to the process – this is where the magic is.
Photography by Bríd O’Donovan
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