After School Special was established in 2022 as space for artists to share ideas and receive feedback on work from peers. We started this group with the goal of creating a relaxed environment for people to talk about their work and connect with other artists outside of their trained discipline. Over the last 3 years of monthly meetings, it has become clear just how valuable these peer learning exchanges have been for our practices, and that it is important for us to continue to meet, collaborate and support each other as we navigate life as emerging artists. This group has evolved over time and includes artists from across the island of Ireland. The group continues to meet monthly to share and discuss work, review exhibitions and texts, attend fi