Tag Archives: Clare Arts Office

AN art exhibition entitled Horizons, featuring work by members of Shannon Men’s Shed is going on display in the Library on this Thursday. It is part of Creative Places Shannon, an initiative of Clare Arts Office, which saw a six week art course run with participants from the Men’s Shed. Working under the guidance of artist David O’Rourke, the group has produced magnificent vibrant landscape paintings. David has exhibited nationally and internationally and has also been involved in almost all aspects of art locally, from setting up artists’ collectives to working with community groups and as an educator in local schools. Derek Clune is a member of the Men’s Shed and is one of those that has been taking the art classes over the last number of weeks. He says that all those participating have got a lot out of it. “It’s great for the men. There are people who would never have thought of art and wouldn’t have painted …

AN Ennis duo’s new artistic endeavour has been bringing sparks of colour and creativity to electrical boxes in locations throughout the county capital. Artists Rachel Macmanus and Robert Downey are the pair behind this project, busily brightening up the boxes dotted throughout Ennis with different works of art. The artists have joined forces to create the Negative Space Collective, a new platform to develop contemporary art and further strengthen visual arts culture and opportunities in the west of Ireland. The electrical box project involves a series of urban art pieces which have been created with the support of Clare Arts Office, under the PRISM Urban Art scheme. And, they both hope this project will be just the start of a movement encouraging artists and communities to come together to create art for everyone. The striking works on the electrical boxes include, among others, depictions of teenagers at Club Bridge, a garda near Ennis Garda Station, a contemporary take on the …

OVER 40 free events have been arranged across county Clare for the nation’s annual Culture Night, taking place this Friday, September 23. It represents the first Culture Night since 2019 of unfettered live access to events across the county, following restrictions imposed by the pandemic in the past two years. This year’s Culture Night with the theme ‘One Night For All’ offers a diverse programme of events and activities for all ages showcasing the wealth of artistic talent throughout the county. Organised by Clare Arts Office and funded by Clare County Council and The Arts Council, all genres of the arts sector will be programmed including music, song and dance, literature, film, art, and workshops starting at 4pm until late. A spokesperson for Clare arts office said, “Events are live this year as we enjoy a return to in-person events and a night for us all to come together and enjoy the best of Ireland’s culture. “In 2019 it was …

ART lovers are able to enjoy a brand new exhibition of work by Clare artist Cathal Butler from anywhere in the world. Clare Arts Office, in conjunction with the Cultúrlann Sweeney Gallery, have launched Cathal’s exhibition ‘Scenes from West Clare’ which will run at the Kilkee gallery until September 23. The pictures for the Kilkee exhibition are all of iconic sites and scenes in County Clare, painted in oils. However, you don’t have to head to West Clare to see the works with Cathal embracing multimedia through a virtual tour of the exhibition available online at: https://clarearts.ie/events/scenes-from-west-clare/ Cathal Butler is registered as a professional member with Visual Artists Ireland, working from EASI Art Studios in Ennis, and mainly paints landscapes in oils, completing several collections for hotels around the country. Along with the pictures on sale, there is also an opportunity to buy prints of the pictures, both framed and unframed, with limited editions of each image also available.

WITH a shared love of photography, members of the Ennis Camera Club have brought their ‘collective vision’ together in a brand new exhibition of works currently on display in the Clare Museum. The exhibition features 25 stunning images in varying styles taken by the club’s members, who range from beginners to experienced photographers, and regularly meet in Power’s Pub, Clarecastle. In an era where images are more likely to be shared online, club chairman Mike Reen tells us members are delighted to be able to showcase their work to the public through this exhibition which runs in Ennis until September 16. “We live almost exclusively in a digital world in terms of photography. It must be that 99% of photographs are now shared digitally through social media and online. We have a sort of standing mantra within the club, ‘A photograph isn’t a photograph until you print it’. “That was something the late Gerry Ryan who founded the club always …

NORTH Clare writer and poet Grace Wells has been announced as the Clare artist for 2022’s Platform 31 scheme. Platform 31 is a nationwide artist development scheme involving 31 local authority offices across the country in collaboration with the Arts Council. It is designed to support artists to reflect on and develop their practice or make work in a new way, while being connected with and supported by peer practitioners, advisors and mentors. Thirty-one participating artists, one from each Local Authority area in Ireland, have been announced including Grace who was named Ennistymon Poetry Town Poet Laureate in 2021. Developed by the Association of Local Authority Arts Offices (ALAAO) with the Arts Council, Platform 31 offers two elements of support – financial and developmental – for mid-career artists across all disciplines. Speaking about the announcement, Grace said, “I’m delighted to have been selected for Platform 31. It’s a unique opportunity for me to connect with other artists and consider different …

MUSIC has always been a part of John Hennessy’s life, and the soundtrack to his childhood was an eclectic one. No surprise, because the Drumcliffe native’s dad is the legendary Michael, a music teacher and an inspiration to generations of budding performers.  Now based between Berlin, Cork and Ennis, John is fast making his own name in music. Credited by none other than Mojo magazine with developing a “neo rock ’n’ roll” style, John’s on stage persona is Black Pope. Blending darkly beautiful lyrics with impeccably smooth guitar riffs and a flavour of fizzling glam rock, Black Pope’s sound defies easy comparisons. A multi-instrumentalist and song writer, John is modest about the waves he has been making since bursting onto the music scene. Ahead of a hometown gig at Glór later this month, he is reflective about his musical influences.  “The piano was a constant when we were growing up,” he tells The Champion. “I played violin for a while, …

HIGHLY acclaimed aerial dance troupe Fidget Feet are coming to Scariff Harbour this weekend, as part of Crinniú na nÓg.  The national festival of youth creativity, which takes place on Saturday next (June 11), is supported by Clare County Library, the Council and Creative Ireland. This year’s event will see the spectacular ‘Flutterby 2’ performed on the shores of Lough Derg. A magical show for children aged four to 12 and their families, there are two sessions per day, each lasting 90 minutes. The sessions are hands-on and will be made up of three parts.  The first part is called ‘Make’. This is an active arts and crafts session. Families can join in the fun to make caterpillars, moths and butterflies together with the Fidget Feet team.  Then, it’s time to ‘Walk’. This part of the session involves meeting Bláithín. Bláithín loves caterpillars, moths and butterflies and you are invited to follow her on her adventurous journey with Uncle Rusty …