“SPECTRUM of strength” is the theme of this year’s Picture Voice Art Exhibition for autistic teenagers, a diverse and vibrant collection of artwork including tile mosaics, fabric pieces, blow paintings, spray paintings, photography, self-portraits and many other forms of creative expression.
The Exhibition will take place at 11.00am – 1.00pm on Saturday, 5th September 2026, in Room T117, off the An tSlí Corridor in the Tara Building at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
Approximately 30 teenagers from 12 secondary schools are taking part in the project. The participating Clare schools include Rice College Ennis, St. John Bosco Kildysart and St Anne’s Killaloe as well as schools from Limerick, Galway, Tipperary & Dublin.
All entries will be displayed as part of the exhibition, with the ten pieces that best respond to the theme being professionally framed and given a more prominent position within the exhibition space. Every student who submits an entry will also receive a certificate of participation in recognition of their contribution.
Primary school teacher Jarlath Healy developed the method as part of his Masters in Special Education thesis. Speaking to The Clare Echo, the autism advisor for county Limerick highlighted the importance of giving autistic young people a voice in the Midwest.
“The students have all been invited to attend on the day, as they have been co-designers and collaborators in the development of the exhibition. This is a really important aspect of Picture Voice, as the project is about giving autistic young people a genuine voice and ensuring that they are actively involved in shaping the exhibition”.
“We will also have a guest speaker, Céira Moroney, a Consultant Speech and Language Therapist from Clare and is also autistic. One of the exhibiting artists, James Hynes Chadwick from Tipperary, will also be performing a song on the day. The event is free and the public are warmly invited to attend. It promises to be a really exciting and meaningful event ”, Healy continued.
