Project Sheela is a street art project founded by two Irish artists to celebrate, commemorate and commiserate with the history of women's rights in Ireland. Project Sheela places handmade ceramic sheela na gigs at new locations each year for International Women’s Day in Ireland and a limited number of special international locations.
Sheela na gigs are medieval stone carvings of naked women displaying their vulva, they are found all over Europe, with most being found in Ireland. In modern times Sheela has come to represent female empowerment and strength. Project Sheela creates new ceramic sheelas, with beautiful vulvas embellished with glass and gold.
Project Sheela celebrates International Women's Day (8th March) by paying tribute to sites that are significant to women's rights. Sheela appears in locations related to both historic and current issues, and draws attention to areas that still need progress, change or revolution. The treatment of women in Ireland's recent history is more than often dark, grim and tragic, with lots of open wounds. Project Sheela hopes to heal some of those wounds and to promote an attitude towards women and their sexuality that is positive and empowering.
Each year the project raises money for important women's charities by selling a limited number of handmade sheelas. In 2020 Sheela donated €400 to Saoirse Women's Refuge. In 2021 Sheela donated €1207.43 to Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. In 2022 we donated €797 to Women’s Aid. In 2023 we donated €570 to Cork Sexual Violence.
A limited edition zine documenting locations is made each year. We fund the project with our merch shop, where we sell sheela jumpers & totes. Details and stories about the locations each year are first posted on Instagram here: @projectsheela