Exploring public engagement through Access Classics and ClassicsNow
In January 2022 I had the pleasure of chatting with Helen Meany and Bridget Martin for my episode of the Trinity Long Room Hub podcast ‘The Hublic Sphere’, to explore how we relate to the ancient world today and how we can bring Classics to the public sphere. The primary focus of the podcast episode was to discuss my guests’ projects: Dr Bridget Martin for Access Classics (the UCD outreach programme) and Helen Meany, Director of ClassicsNow (the cultural festival which has featured events online and across Dublin). Below are some of my takeaways from that conversation as well as some points that couldn’t be included in the full episode. I also offer some reflections on the success of this year's ClassicsNow festival (January 21-23, 2022).
I was keen to learn more about the practicalities of setting up an outreach project, to shed light on the process for those who may consider engaging in this type of work but mightn’t know where to start. Bridget shared some really helpful insights into the establishment of the Access Classics programme, which supports second-level schools in providing resources and opportunities for students to learn about the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. The first, and perhaps most important, lesson was: ‘don’t think, just do’ (I acknowledge that this sentiment may be a challenging one for academics). When embarking on outreach work, the most important thing is to just get out there, get started and deal with issues as they arise (in other words, don’t overthink it). The priority of the Access Classics team is to increase young students’ understanding and awareness of what Classics is and what studying the ancient world entails. Those of us who are lucky enough to study the ancient world might not fully appreciate that this is a subject area that is not on many people’s radar. The sooner this goal is achieved, the better.
Speaking with Bridget also helped me to realise how much of an impact it can have on young students when someone from a university introduces them to a new subject area, assuring them that their voices and perspectives are a welcome contribution to that subject. This is something that Bridget herself, who went to an underprivileged school where Classics was not available, could appreciate. This should not be approached with a misplaced sense of authority or from a place of condescension; that we are descending from the lofty heights of academia to impart our wisdom. Rather, since we have had the opportunity to learn about the ancient world, we also have a responsibility to share that knowledge. We shouldn’t assume that since the subject of Classics has historically been central to second and third-level curricula, it will remain so indefinitely. Quite simply, the ability to communicate one’s passion for the ancient world and to foster that passion in others, including and acknowledging other voices, is a crucial part of ensuring the survival of Classics (and the study of the ancient Mediterranean in general) as a discipline.
Finally, it was abundantly clear from our discussion that working in outreach can, in turn, enhance your academic work. Hearing new perspectives, being asked challenging questions and communicating to different audiences all have the effect of energizing research. The importance of communicating knowledge was also reiterated by Helen, who brings scholarship into the public domain through her various roles as a journalist, arts consultant, and festival director. It seems, then, that outreach is a mutually beneficial activity.
During our conversation, we touched on one of the major concerns regarding Classics in the public sphere. This is the misappropriation of ancient literature and culture by white supremacists, and the misleading and problematic image of Classics that people commonly encounter in the political and cultural spheres, all of which perpetuate the tradition of exclusion and lead to misconceptions about the ancient world. It was reassuring to hear Helen describe the rich artistic engagement with Classics in Ireland and beyond, which can counteract problematic cinematic depictions and outweigh the impact of politicians being opportunistic. Moreover, both of my guests stressed the importance of critical engagement with ancient literature and culture. And the syllabus created by the Access Classics team enables school students to do just that, helping students to grasp quickly the point that the ancient world still informs and matters to life today by encouraging them to engage with current debates (such as repatriation - as discussed by Paul Cartledge in an earlier Hestia blog). The endeavour to engage critically with ancient cultures, and to avoid putting Classics on a pedestal, is a pertinent point, one that was also made by Professor Katherine Harloe in her recent podcast Detoxifying the Classics.
Helen’s claim that there is currently a flowering of artistic engagement with Classics was succinctly demonstrated by the numerous events held as part of the ClassicsNow festival over the weekend of 21st-23rd January (all of the online events can still be viewed on the ClassicsNow YouTube channel). There is, of course, a long-standing tradition of classical reception in Ireland and ancient authors have always exerted an influence on Irish writers, theatre artists and playwrights. This tradition is also currently being explored through the ERC-funded project, led by Isabelle Torrance, Classical Influences and Irish Culture.
For me, the festival really brought home the fact that so many people have a keen interest in Classics and the ancient world; the wide age range of the attendees at each event attests to that. Over the course of the weekend, we listened to writers such as Madeline Miller and Daisy Dunn discuss their work and we were invited to share in the process of reinterpreting and reimagining Homer through the documentary ‘Akala’s Odyssey’, directed by TCD Classics’ alumnus John O’ Rourke. We were also privy to the ease with which Greek tragedy can be recreated and retold in the Irish language. In ‘Persians: The Podcast-Unplugged’, directed by Conor Hanratty, the words of Aeschylus met the poetic mastery of Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill. The play ended with Iarla O’Lionáird keening (in the tradition of the Irish lament for the dead), as he conveyed Xerxes’ grief following his resounding defeat at Salamis. It is performances such as this one which really bring you closer to these ancient and influential works of literature, and to their experiences.
The ClassicsNow festival was an uplifting experience, one which renewed and reaffirmed my interest in the ancient world. Helen expressed her hope that the festival would become an established part of the cultural calendar in Ireland. As Bridget remarked, ‘Classics is alive’, and it is through the continuance and growth of projects like Access Classics and ClassicsNow that it will remain so.
You can listen to my conversation with Helen and Bridget here.
Access Classics website: https://accessclassics.ie and follow the students of the Access Classics undergraduate module: @AccessClassics
ClassicsNow website: https://www.classicsnow.ie
Lisa Doyle
Lisa is a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Classics, Trinity College Dublin and an Early Career Researcher in Trinity Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute. Her thesis is on the topic of ‘Margins of Learning: Exploring the scholia on Apollonius’ Argonautica', and her research is funded by a Trinity College Dublin Provost's PhD Project award.
Follow Lisa on Twitter: @lisalogia_doyle