Craft NI

'Shuttles & Shafts' morning talk with Trish Bedford and Barbara Dass
2021-11-06 11:00 (Europe/London) | Craft NI Gallery, 115 - 119 Royal Ave, Belfast, BT1 1FF, United Kingdom
As the ‘Shuttles & Shafts’ exhibition is well underway and will stay open until November 11th at Craft NI Gallery, Craft NI are delighted to invite you to a morning talk with Senior Research Fellow Trish Belford and Professor of Design Barbara Dass, the team behind the ‘Reviving the William Liddell’ project that the exhibition is based on.
Come along to hear Trish and Barbara talk about the challenges behind preserving and digitising the unique collection of 1600 photographic glass plates; the fascinating history of the Ewart-Liddell linen factory at Donacloney, Co Down and their interest in finding a way to keep this wonderful design history alive through the collaboration with William Clark and Sons of Upperlands, who developed new prints and weaves now available to the public.

Inner Journeys
2021-11-02 - 2021-11-20 | Ards Arts Centre, Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards, BT23 4NP, United Kingdom
Ceramicist Anna Smyth presents new work featuring her exquisite crystalline glazes.
From her ceramics studio based in County Down, Anna creates thrown, sculptural porcelain vessels, imbued with meaning, inspired by observations and reflection on life. Recent themes have included relationship, heritage and spirituality.
Following completion of the Craft NI ‘Launchpad’ development programme, Anna’s new work was launched in a group exhibition in the Craft NI Gallery. The porcelain vessels are internally glazed with a selection of crystalline glazes, developed with support from the Arts Council of NI. These stunning glazes in which crystals form during the firing add a further layer of significance to the work. The forms have developed further to suggest fluidity and movement, giving wider scope for expression.
Anna believes that when we engage with items which have been thoughtfully designed and skilfully made by the human hand, it is a valuable and enriching experience.
Contact Ards Arts Centre to confirm days and times.

Pinned
2021-11-02 - 2021-11-20 | Ards Arts Centre, Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards, BT23 4NP, United Kingdom
Group exhibition from the Association for Contemporary Jewellers and Silversmiths NI (ACJNI).
Presenting the work of over 20 local jewellers and silversmiths who have each responded to the exhibition’s theme to produce one-of-a-kind pieces beyond the scope of their usual commission or production work.
The exhibition features variations on the idea of a brooch, with versions in both precious and non-precious materials. Traditionally set stones contrast with re-purposed vintage tins and toys, precision geometry meets abstract forms. Gold, silver and gemstones sit alongside found objects in unexpected interpretations that demonstrate technical accomplishment, innovation and creativity.

'Countryside to Coast' exhibition by Andrea Hayes
2021-10-30 10:00 - 2021-11-05 16:00 | klöver haus, 92B Main Street, Moira, Craigavon, BT67 0LH, United Kingdom
klöver haus in Moira will host ‘Countryside to Coast’ – an exhibition of original art by local textile artist Andrea Hayes. Working from her home studio in Cookstown, Andrea draws inspiration from the vast array of textures, colours and dramatic skylines of the Irish landscape. Each piece is a unique collage created in Andrea’s distinctive style; hand painted, layered with appliquéd hand dyed fabrics and delicately finished with embroidery.

North Down Craft Collective Art & Craft Showcase
2021-10-30 10:00 - 16:00 | Kylestone Nurseries, Groomsport, 5 Lower Balloo Rd, Bangor, BT20 0PS, United Kingdom
North Down Craft Collective are organising Saturday Showcases at Kylestone nurseries in Bangor. On October 30th five makers and artists will set up their stalls in the glasshouse, why not make a day out of it, see work from Nodo Knots and Ruth Osborne amongst others, chat to the makers about their processes and inspiration too!

Teatime
2021-10-30 - 2021-11-26 | R-Space Gallery, 32 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XE, United Kingdom
Tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world, the paraphernalia surrounding the preparation and consumption is immense.
R-Space presents a selection of items surrounding this wonderful beverage.
Five artist/makers based in Northern Ireland at different career stages, working in a variety of media, were selected from an open call for this exhibition:
Amanda Croft
Fiona Jiandani
Paul Mulgrew
Millie Moore
Pamela Walker
Open 11am to 5pm
Tuesday to Saturday
Preview Saturday 30 Ocotber 2pm

140th Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition
2021-10-29 - 2022-01-02 | Ulster Museum, BT9 5AB, United Kingdom
The RUA Annual Exhibition (RUA) is one of the most eagerly anticipated exhibitions in the Northern Irish cultural calendar, providing a unique platform for acclaimed artists and emerging talent to showcase their artwork in the fabulous galleries at the Ulster Museum. It is also a chance for the public to engage with a fully democratic, free admission exhibition.
The exhibition contains examples of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video and more. Some of the works reflect the times we are living and allude to isolation, social distancing and surviving in Covid times. Other works share deep messages with hope, humour, passion and integrity.

Open Tuesday to Sunday
10am to 5pm
Free, but booking required

Made in Ireland
2021-10-21 - 2022-02-05 | National Design and Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny, Ireland
Made In Ireland celebrates the wealth and vibrancy of Ireland’s studio crafts. The exhibition presents work by over 110 craftspeople each creating beautiful, considered objects using skills honed over many years.
Ireland’s makers, working in and across different sectors, are creating innovative work of high quality. Makers work in local and carefully sourced materials, across all regions of our island. Some are household names, but most work away quietly perfecting their skill and promoting their work regionally. The Irish public has shown itself to have a lively interest in craft, however, is largely unaware of the diverse range and quality of work being produced in the country by skilled makers. At a time when many are showing a considerable preference and appreciation for goods that are Irish made, we can think of no better time to create a colourful, inclusive exhibition that shows the very best of what is MADE IN IRELAND.

Crafting in the Tent
2021-10-17 14:00 - 16:30 | National Grand Cafe and Cafe Bar, 62 High Street, Belfast, BT1 2BE, United Kingdom
Mourne Creative has teamed up with the National Grand Cafe bar for a Crafting afternoon in the eclectic Cathedral Quarter Belfast to bring you not one not two but THREE different workshops in Pottery Macrame and Lampshade design all under the ONE tent
Its a great way to catch up with friends and to get those HANDCRAFTED Christmas presents started

POTTERY WORKSHOP
Come some have potty fun throwing your OWN rustic tumbler on one of our 8 Pottery Wheels
Tumblers are trending everywhere at the minute so why not make your own to keep or to give as a present The tent at The National is naturally aerated but it does have heaters incase it gets chilly
Learn the basic pottery techniques from centring to pulling up under the expert guidance of one our professional potters to produce your own travel tumbler that will be fired and collected in 4-6 weeks time
MACRAME WORKSHOP
Naoimh Larkin, hand Weaver, will guide you through the beginner knots in Macrame to make a boho wall hanging to give as a present or just to keep for yourself (because you are worth it)
Learn to make a unique, boho wall hanging. This is a beginner-level workshop which will encourage you to create something new, explore your skills, to work with your hands, decompress from the previous week, relax, and challenge yourself.
No prior experience needed!
You will:
Learn how to begin a macrame piece, including an overview of necessary materials.
How to work a few different macrame knots, including casting on, the square knot, and the half hitch.
How to create design, texture, and pattern within your piece by varying the knots as you work.
Leave with a finished wall hanging, and the know-how to design and create more pieces on your own.
Macrame is a beautiful theraputic craft whereby you can dable with it at your own leisure making lots of handcrafted items for Christmas once you have learnt the basics with Naoimh
LAMPSHADE WORKSHOP
Make your own stylish lampshade with renowned fabric genius Nicola Parkes Upholstery here in the National’s Craft Tent Belfast in the eclectic Cathedral Quarter Belfast
With this workshop you will be able to take home your lampshade on the day to show off to your friends and family
You DO need to bring your OWN fabric according to your styling and taste.
Your finished lampshade will measure 40cm diameter and 25cm in height, the frames can be used for either a shade for a lamp or for as a ceiling pendant.
Here is some help on choosing your lampshade fabric:
You will need to bring along a standard width fabric of 138/140cm wide with a drop of 40cm
We recommend a thinner fabric such as a cotton, though thicker fabrics can be used but may be trickier to work with
If you wish to use a pattern fabric you need to ensure that the pattern works with a 25cm drop, for example if your pattern has birds on which are larger than the depth of the lampshade then you will end up losing heads or feet !!!
SUNDAY 17.10.21
Places are limited to eight people for each workshop and places are selling fast !!
Mimosas are also recommended!!!

Exploring Line in the Landscape
2021-10-16 10:30 - 15:30 | Ards Arts Centre, Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards, BT23 4NP, United Kingdom
As part of her exhibition, Thinking Out Loud, Patricia Kelly will be facilitating this workshop where participants will explore line in the landscape.

You will use selected images to create textural pieces using both hand and machine stitched techniques. You will be introduced to the technique of free machining.
Suitable for all levels, but experience of using a sewing machine would be beneficial.

Beyond Edges
2021-10-15 - 2021-11-20 | Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, 24 Main Street, Limavady, BT49 0FJ, United Kingdom
Joint exhibition by Andrea Spencer, Nicola Nemec and Sharon Adams.
Beyond Edges presents the work of three women artists living and working in North Antrim, an area of open hills and dramatic coastlines perched at the northern edge of Ireland. Each of the three artists responds to the landscape through different materials – glass (Andrea Spencer); paint (Nicola Nemec); wood and metal (Sharon Adams).
This self-generated collaboration emerges from their common interest in lines and edges; seen and unseen; natural and manmade. Beyond Edges therefore explores where and how the edges of their practices meet and provides a space for their respective approaches to be explored together.
Virtual Launch 2pm Friday 15 October via the Roe Valley Arts Centre Facebook Page
Meet the Artists Event 10am to 1pm Saturday 23 October. Book here

'Shuttles & Shafts' Exhibition
2021-10-14 10:00 - 2021-11-11 17:00 | Craft NI Gallery, 115 - 119 Royal Ave, Belfast, BT1 1FF, United Kingdom
Craft NI are delighted to present the ‘Shuttles and Shafts’ exhibition, a visual journey into the archives of one of Northern Ireland’s most prominent linen manufacturers and an insight into the work of the design partnership that have brought some of their classic patterns into the 21st century.
Previously suppliers to the Ritz and the White Star Line, glass design plates from the Ewart-Lidell Mill in Co. Down, were donated to Belfast School of Art. Senior Research Fellow, Trish Belford and Professor of Design Barbara Dass have preserved, catalogued and digitised the plates for future generations.
Their Heritage Lottery funded project Reviving William Liddell’s Damask Designs preserved a unique collection of 1600 photographic glass plates discovered in 2007 when the Ewart-Liddell linen factory at Donacloney, Co Down was dismantled. Their initial research was exhibited at Lisburn Museum during the inaugural NI Linen Biennale in 2018, and the resulting contemporary textiles are now in production at William Clark and Sons of Upperlands.

What Colour is Metal?
2021-10-14 - 2022-01-29 | Dublin Castle, Dame St, Dublin, Ireland
Group exhibition considering the relationship between metal and colour in contemporary silversmithing and jewellery, with a mapping of relationships and practice in key centres internationally. It examines approaches ranging from colour achieved using the inherent properties of metal to react with other chemicals or heat (or a combination); the reveal of colour as a property of the metal itself; infusing the surface of aluminium with pure colour or image; the use of enamel glazes with varying degrees of transparency and opacity – but always with a fundamentally strong relationship with the surface qualities of the metal.
Jane Adam | Peter Bauhuis | Edmond Byrne | Stuart Cairns | Alison Counsell | Rebecca de Quin | Christine Graf | Koji Hatakeyama | Nicola Heidemann | Kaori Juzu | Toru Kaneko | Ruth Laird | Jose Marin | Cecilia Moore | John Moore | Cara Murphy | Thanh-Truc Nguyen | Cóilín Ó Dubhghaill | Michael Rowe | Ryuhei Sako | Simone ten Hompel | Adi Toch | Jessica Turrell | Roxanne Simone | Max Warren
The exhibition is scheduled to run October 2021 to February 2022, the exact dates published here are provisional.
Accompanied by a series of Meet the Maker online talks in April-May 2021.
Series 2 of online talks in October 2021

Irish Craft Heroes: 50 Makers x 50 Years
2021-10-14 - 2021-11-30
Irish Craft Heroes, a major exhibition celebrating 50 years of Irish craft, coincides with Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s (DCCI) 50th Anniversary since its establishment in 1971. To mark this landmark occasion, the National Design & Craft Gallery is producing an outdoor, touring exhibition and publication charting the evolution of the craft and design sector in Ireland over the last 50 years, paying homage to the many makers whose work has contributed to the rich tapestry of craft and design practice in Ireland.
Irish Craft Heroes exhibition launched in Kilkenny 23 July to 06 October 2021
Dublin Castle from October to December 2021;
continues to GMIT Centre for Creative Arts & Media, Galway city in spring 2022 – with further venues to be announced.
Online virtual exhibition

Thinking Out Loud
2021-10-06 - 2021-10-27 | Ards Arts Centre, Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards, BT23 4NP, United Kingdom
An exhibition of abstract stitched textiles by Patricia Kelly

Patricia, who lives in Co. Fermanagh, attended the Ulster University in Belfast where she obtained a B.A Honors degree in Fine Craft Design.
Specialising in embroidered textiles, Patricia has always been inspired by the ever-changing colour, light and texture of the landscape and skies in the west of Ireland. She constantly pushes her work in new directions exploring images through drawing and paint, but finally realising her outcomes through the medium of textile employing the use of free motion embroidery techniques.
Patricia’s work has become much more abstract in recent times with a greater focus on the use of the stitched line. The repetitive use of shape and mark has become an increasingly important aspect of her work which imbues a meditative quality.

Macramé Wall Hanging Workshop
2021-10-03 14:00 - 16:00 | Boom Studios, 80 Main Street, Bangor, BT20 3AH, United Kingdom
Learn how to make your own beautiful Macramé Wall Hanging with Claire from NodoKnots.
This class is perfect for beginners. If you have never tried Macramé before it will help you master the basic knots, and create a stylish wall hanging.
The class includes all the materials you will need to complete the project, and you can choose from a range of beautiful cord colours to create a piece of Wall art that perfectly fits with your home!

Bounce Arts Festival
2021-10-01
Bounce Arts Festival is presented annually by University of Atypical to celebrate and showcase art created by d/Deaf, disabled and Neurodiverse creatives across the region.
On 1 to 3 October 2021, the programme brings together a dynamic mix of performance, workshops, music, dance, visual arts and lots of fun.
Now in its ninth year, it is pushing geographic boundaries with events in Belfast, Derry-Londonderry and Online.
Craft Highlight:
Craft:In workshop with artist Niki Collier brings together partners from all over Europe for a three day creative experiment in the craft of felting.
The Craft:In project aims to build inclusion through the sharing of traditional craft practices. During the workshop, Erasmus + participants will learn a range of techniques and share cultural practices while experiencing all that Belfast has to offer.

Goldsmiths’ Fair 2021
2021-09-28 - 2021-10-10 | Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, United Kingdom
Goldsmiths’ Fair is an annual selling event and exhibition showcasing a curated selection of work by some of the best fine jewellers and contemporary silversmiths creating and making in the UK today. It is widely regarded as an essential stop in the international fine jewellery and contemporary silver events calendar.
The Fair has taken place at the magnificent Goldsmiths’ Hall, one of London’s hidden treasures, since 1982. All Fair exhibitors use exceptional handmaking skills to create their pieces, applying techniques that have been passed down over hundreds of years. Visitors can expect to find beautiful, handmade pieces all containing an element of precious metal. Behind every piece is a unique story and a unique artist.
The emerging and established makers exhibiting at Goldsmiths’ Fair are chosen through a rigorous selection process which ensures the highest standards of both materials and craftsmanship. And each year up to ten graduate bursary places are awarded to support new talent.
This year’s event has both in person and online elements including some interesting (free) sessions in the Talks Programme.

Make a Hedge Chair
2021-09-25 10:00 - 17:30 | Green Woodwork Ireland, Minnowburn Wardens Office BT8 8LE, Belfast, BT8 8LE, United Kingdom
5 Day course with Green Woodwork Ireland
Sat 25th & Sun 26th Sept, Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd Oct, Sat 9th Oct
Stephen Ryan will teach you the skills needed to produce your own Hedge Chair, by using an ancient form of woodcraft that was once widespread across the country. Traditional tools and equipment such as the shave horse, cleaving break, drawknife, froe, spokeshave, tenon cutter, travisher and much more will be used to produce a chair to be used and admired in the home as well as being a focal point for visitors.
During this 5-day workshop, you will learn how to cleave and shape wood that will then be assembled using round mortise and tenon’s secured with Oak wedges, typical of old Irish furniture, completed with a finish of linseed oil and beeswax.
All tools and materials are supplied. This course is suited to all levels including complete beginners. Due to the use of sharp tools during the class, sturdy boots or shoes should be worn. Workshop times are 10.00am to 5.30pm.

Translating Linen
2021-09-25 - 2021-10-22 | R-Space Gallery, 32 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XE, United Kingdom
Exhibition showcasing the award winning Translating Linen project, which features a digital music piece created from the DNA structure of flax overlaid with the sights and sounds of Northern Ireland’s Linen Mills, and a large scale artwork on linen.
Visual Artist Robert Peters was invited to respond to Dr. O’Kane’s translation of Linen DNA pictorially. He created an image that attempts to encompass the historical use of flax and linen from neolithic times to its demise in post-industrial Ireland. This image has been printed onto linen to form a large scale wall hanging.

'Beyond Darkness' exhibition by Susan Mannion
2021-09-18 - 2021-10-30 | Flowerfield Arts Centre, 185 Coleraine Road, Portstewart, BT55 7HU, United Kingdom
A new exhibition by Boyle based visual artist Susan Mannion, Beyond Darkness features works of enamel on steel and copper in response to the past few months of living with COVID restrictions. The exhibition includes a large scale enamel work depiction of being contained in a small space and looking towards nature and the outdoors for emotional balance.
The elements of nature run through the exhibition, reflecting our dependency upon it as a means to escape from our enclosed spaces during lockdown. This body of work has grown out of a sense of restless energy and a need for change and adaption.
Originally from Omagh, Susan is now currently based in the west of Ireland where she is a printmaker and copper enamellist. Susan is influenced by landscape and patterns in nature, her work evolving from observed detail captured by sketching then laying down the image onto the block or copper surface creating intricate thread-like lines and fine textural incisions to create an atmospheric, surreal asthetic, distilling a sense of place, time and memory. Susan has exhibited work nationally and internationally with her work being held in several public and private collections worldwide. She has been awarded several commissions and residencies including The Dock, Cill Rialaig, Valerie Earley Award, Tyrone Guthrie Residency Award, Arts-Science Residency Award and the MI-Lab Mokuhanga six week residency in Japan.

Galleries are open Tues, 10-4 / Wed & Thurs, 10-4 & 7-9 / Fri 10-3 / Sat 10-1

Culture Night 2021
2021-09-16 08:00 - 17:00
Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir celebrates culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day.
For 2021 Culture Night Belfast is centred on Writer’s Square, which will be transformed into a monumental, immersive cultural experience running from Friday September 17 to Sunday September 19. In addition, an intriguing interactive trail will help visitors to reconnect with, and explore the rich artistic environment of the Cathedral Quarter
The Ogham Grove invites the public to explore our relationship with our native woodland and environment through a totally innovative and spectacular artwork. Taking inspiration from the Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet a monumental, immersive sculpture will be created within Writer’s Square as the centre piece to a trail of cryptic markers distributed throughout the Cathedral Quarter. Using QR codes linked to these inscriptions participants will be able to divine their own way through the Cathedral Quarter attempting to crack the secret code and discovering the rich cultural offering of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter along the way. The work can be explored both throughout the day or in the evening and will run from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th September to engage with the maximum number of visitors in a safe and socially distanced way.
Culture Night Belfast
Culture Night Derry invites visitors to COME TOGETHER AGAIN with a diverse programme running through the afternoon and evening on Friday 17 September.
Venues across Derry City and Strabane District have thrown open their doors or taken to the streets and invite you to enjoy an evening of diverse, Free entertainment for all ages
and interests.
Culture Night Derry and Strabane

Handmade Oxford Online
2021-09-15 - 2021-09-19 | Online, United Kingdom
From 15 – 19 September, Handmade Oxford Online will feature some of the UK’s most talented contemporary craft makers. Visitors will be able to browse and shop through an extensive catalogue of handmade products from a wide range of disciplines, including fashion and jewellery, glass and ceramics, prints and textiles, and sculpture and wood. In addition to this, visitors can expect to indulge in a full programme of interactive and informative activities such as live questions & answer sessions with the exhibitors, fascinating live sessions, craft demonstration videos, and interactive craft workshops.
Highlights for this third edition of the Interactive Virtual Craft Fair are undoubtedly the live sessions that will be held throughout the fair dates. In partnership with the illustrious Ashmolean Museum and Judith Blacklock Flower School, visitors will have the pleasure to attend two thought provoking sessions. Clare Pollard will discuss the thriving culture of art in Tokyo, the subject of Ashmolean’s current major exhibition, while Judith Blacklock herself will present a talk on the beautiful art of floral arrangements.
Those wishing to attend Handmade Oxford Online – The Interactive Virtual Craft Fair will be able to register their attendance in August. Visitors can attend the Virtual Craft Fair and participate in the activities available through their laptop, smart phone, or tablet. As Handmade in Britain strives to spread the ethos of handmade craft to as wide of an audience as possible, attendance will remain free and open to all, wherever you may be in the world.
URL- https://interact.handmadeinbritain.co.uk/
The Fair includes a series of Live Sessions which includes a presentation by Mallon Linen in which Helen and Charlie Mallon will explain the full process of taking flax from the field through to linen on their Co Tyrone farm.

British Ceramics Biennial
2021-09-11 10:00 - 2021-10-17 17:00 | Spode Factory, Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1QQ, United Kingdom
British Ceramics Biennial returns to Stoke-on-Trent with a vibrant five-week festival of new artist commissions, exhibitions and hands-on events that celebrate the life, character and creativity that ceramics bring to the city.
The post-industrial Spode factory site in the heart of Stoke Town will be transformed and animated by the UK’s leading ceramic artists and emerging talents, many of them taking inspiration from the city’s industrial heritage and transforming tradition in a contemporary way. For the first time BCB will also curate an online programme of films, tours and events for those unable to visit in person. Spode’s iconic China Hall is the focal point of the festival, with AWARD and Fresh exhibitions taking centre stage. Fresh will bring together up to 25 early career ceramic artists, while AWARD will feature work from 10 of the UK’s most innovative ceramic artists. You can read more about the festival highlights here.

Michael Moore: Intersect
2021-09-10 - 2021-10-23 | Marketplace Theatre and Arts Centre, Armagh, United Kingdom
Intersect presents a collection of sculpture made by Michael Moore since January 2018. It researches mapping of locality. It examines how clay forms interplay and balance, exploring precarious constructions. Grid forms reflect journeys around places of personal importance. Clay forms explore movement and contortion, seeking out unusual, abstracted structures.
Michael Moore is Reader in Fine and Applied Arts at Ulster University. He has works in the permanent collections of the Ulster Museum, National Museum of Ireland. He is an elected member of the International Academy of Ceramics and a registered maker with Craft NI and the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.
Image © Jim Maginn – Intersect 2018 – Hand built Ceramics

Spinning Yarns 2021
2021-09-05 10:00 - 17:00 | Mossley Mill, Carnmoney Road North, Newtownabbey, BT36 5QA, United Kingdom
SPINNING YARNS is a one-day Festival celebrating the wonderful world of all things associated with wool & linen where we will showcase the colour, creativity and craft associated with these homespun yarns in all their forms.
Highlights include:

Market Place with a wide range of traders, both local and from further afield
Craft and Gift Stalls
Displays, Workshops and Demonstrations

Every aspect of the wool and linen journey will be represented, from the woolly animals themselves, through the various stages of production, to beautiful finished products. As well as artisans and retailers of the highest quality exhibiting and selling products, visitors will be able try their hand at all sorts of textile based skills.
Set in the grounds of the Mossley Mill Complex, including Theatre at The Mill, Museum at The Mill, and the beautiful Civic Square – Spinning Yarns is a great day out.

Sculpture in Context 2021
2021-09-02 - 2021-10-15 | National Botanic Gardens, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Ireland D09 VY63, Dublin, Ireland
Sculpture in Context is celebrates its 35th anniversary and 20 years exhibiting in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin in Dublin.
Bringing together the work of over 140 artists using a wide range of media, the works represent the diverse character of Irish and International contemporary sculpture today. From the smallest, most intricate ceramic works to stone sculptures of a monumental scale, visitors to the exhibition will be enriched by the experience of viewing such inspiring works in one location.
Sculpture in Context was established in 1985 to raise the profile of sculpture and provide a platform for artists outside the normal gallery context. It is a not for profit organisation run by sculptors. The exhibition was founded by Cliodna Cussen, Colm Brennan and Gerard Cox and originated in Fernhill Gardens where it ran for 10 years. Since then it has been hosted in the Conrad Hotel, Malahide Castle, Kilmainham Gaol, the Irish Management Institute, Dublin Castle, Farmleigh House and since 2002 has been held in the magnificent National Botanic Gardens.
Sculpture in Context promotes artists and creates opportunities for practicing artists to exhibit their works in a wider public arena. The organisation has provided much needed opportunities for Irish and Non-Irish sculptors in Ireland.

1845: Memento Mori
2021-08-27 - 2021-10-07 | Ulster American Folk Park, 2 Mellon Rd, Omagh, BT78 5QU, United Kingdom
1845: Memento Mori is a famine memorial and glass installation of 1,845 blown glass potatoes dedicated to the 19th-century Great Irish Famine, created by Seattle-based Irish artist Paula Stokes.
1845 is significant as it references the year that the potato blight came to Ireland, marking the beginning of a period of mass starvation, disease, and emigration. Between 1845 and 1852, over 1.5 million people died, and 1 million emigrated to Australia, Canada and America. The form of the installation differs in response to specific locations, changing shape and volume depending on light, accessibility and exposure of each site.
At the Ulster American Folk Park it will be installed in the Single Room Cabin, which dates from the late 1700s to early 1800s and is an example of the type of dwelling occupied by many poor tenant farmers. It will be the only venue for the installation in Northern Ireland.
The fragility of the glass potatoes is representative both of the vulnerability and of resilience of those who died and those who survived the famine. Paula Stokes was born in Ireland butmoved to Seattle in 1993 to pursue a career in glass. Her glass work has been shown extensively both nationally and internationally. As a modern-day member of the Irish diaspora, Stokes’ glass installations reflect on her own history as an immigrant to examine historical events that have shaped the present.
She believes that ‘1845: Memento Mori will resonate with a wide variety of audiences as it reminds us of our own fragile humanity and serves as a connection between shared human experiences in the past and present’.
This project has been generously supported by the Thomas Dammann Junior Memorial Trust and is displayed in partnership with Craft NI for August Craft Month.

Pinned on Linen
2021-08-07 - 2021-09-03 | R-Space Gallery, 32 Castle Street, Lisburn, BT27 4XE, United Kingdom
Selected jewellery exhibition by 21 ACJSNI members (and invited guest makers) featuring variations on the idea of a brooch.
ACJSNI (Association for Contemporary Jewellery and Silversmiths NI) is a regional branch of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, whose members include those who make jewellery, associated designers and craftspeople, educators, students, galleries, museum curators, retailers, critics, collectors, and people who want to learn more about contemporary jewellery.
The ACJSNI mission is to showcase and support the jewellery and Silversmithing community who live and work in Northern Ireland.
‘Pinned’ was first shown in Craft NI in November 2020.
For this second showing at R-Space Gallery, there are some new makers with new work, while some jewels now reside with new owners!
‘PINNED – on Linen’ at R-Space also showcases images of work produced during lockdown by Year 11 pupils from Lagan College and Antrim Grammar School.
Opening reception Saturday 7 August

Conjuring Form Portfolio Critical Selection 2021-22
2021-07-30 - 2021-09-12 | Doneraile Court, Doneraile, Co. Cork, P51 XR66, Ireland
Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s PORTFOLIO programme is a select group of Ireland’s most talented designers and craftspeople. Inclusion is recognition of practitioners creating work to a standard to be considered worthy by museums, renowned galleries, and discerning collectors. DCCI’s PORTFOLIO programme has been instrumental in building the international reputations and commercial potential of Ireland’s best designer‐makers of contemporary craft.
From the PORTFOLIO membership, a distinguished group of exceptional makers are chosen for Critical Selection 2021–2022. The benchmark for this elite group is achievement of excellence in contemporary craftsmanship and design by comparative international standards.
Scott Benefield | Roger Bennett | Paul Bokslag | Emma Bourke | Max Brosi | Cathy Burke | Úna Burke | Anne Butler | Edmond Byrne | Hugo Byrne | Mike Byrne | Stuart Cairns | Mary Conroy | Jack Doherty | Sara Flynn | Jennifer Hickey | Joe Hogan | Alison Kay | John Lee | Antonio Julio Lopez Castro | Alan Meredith | Cecilia Moore | Sadhbh Mowlds | Cara Murphy | Mary Nagle | Nuala O’Donovan | Nigel O’Reilly | Helen O’Shea | Annemarie O’Sullivan | Annemarie Reinhold | Michael Rice | Emer Roberts | Peter Sheehan + Cathal Loughnan | Matt Smith | Sasha Sykes | Joseph Walsh Studio | Kathleen Walsh | Gráinne Watts | Zelouf & Bell
