VISUAL Carlow

This Summer, join us for the Sustainable Futures Summer School! This programme brings together artists, designers and makers to share practical skills that encourage reconnecting with the land, nature and each other. Through activities such as natural ink making, textile repair, paper making, soil chromatography, permacomputing and clothing customisation, you are invited to rediscover forgotten practices and more sustainable ways of living and creating. With workshops for adults, children and families alike, the Summer School offers an inspiring space for learning making and imagining more sustainable futures. Explore the programme and book tickets ➡️ Link in bio The Sustainable Futures Summer School is kindly funded by Creative Ireland. VISUAL Carlow is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland . #VISUALCarlow #SustainableFutures #SummerSchool

Learning Programme: Our Impact in 2025 In 2025, our Learning Programme engaged 11,447 people from early years to adulthood across 456 facilitated events, including workshops, performances, art clubs, a community choir, community-led activities and more! A huge thank you to YOU for taking part, our partners, funders and donors for making it possible 💜 VISUAL is funded by Carlow County Council and the Arts Council Ireland, with additional support from Carlow Arts Office, Carlow County Childcare Committee, Creative Ireland, Active Carlow, Create and donations from the public. This generous support allows us to keep a large proportion of our programme free or highly subsidised, making our events accessible to everyone. 📷 @briancreganphotography #VISUALCarlow

VISUAL and Carlow Arts Office are pleased to announce a new open call for exhibition proposals, which will result in a new project at VISUAL in 2027. This major collaboration between VISUAL and Carlow Arts Office continues our essential partnership, and marks 40 years of county arts officers supporting artists across Ireland. The winning application will be given time and resources to realise an ambitious exhibition in September 2027, and will benefit from curatorial, production, technical and marketing support, as well as a significant production budget and generous artist fee. The selection panel is made up of: Aileen Nolan, Carlow County Arts Officer; Aisling Prior, independent curator; Benjamin Stafford, Visual Arts Curator, VISUAL; artist Daphne Wright, and Sepake Angiama, Artistic Director of the Institute of International Visual Arts. This call is open to artists of all career stages, working in any media locally, in Ireland, or internationally. Submissions are now open until Friday 22 May at 5pm GMT. More information on how to apply can be found at ➡️ Link in bio VISUAL Carlow is supported by Carlow County Council and the Arts Council Ireland. @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco @artscouncilireland @suburbanelectrostar @aisprior @daphnewright_art #VISUALCarlow #OpenCall #ArtOpps

Join us for the Summer Season 2026 Launch on Thursday 28 May, 6pm - 8pm at VISUAL ✨ This season at VISUAL presents three exhibitions with work by Irish and international artists, alongside our new interactive learning exhibition DIY Zine Studio! In the Main Gallery, Kate O’Shea presents 'Mycelium', an immersive installation that includes textiles, sculpture, sound and books all reflecting her socially-engaged practice. Elsewhere in the galleries, this year’s Artworks exhibition, 'Hold This', realised in collaboration with Carlow Arts Festival, invites you to discover artworks from local, Irish and international artists. The evening will include the official launch by VISUAL Interim CEO Niall Scully, Carlow County Council Chief Executive Coilín O’Reilly and Carlow Arts Festival Artistic Director & CEO Mikey Martins. 🗓️ Exhibitions run until 30 August 2026. 👐 Admission is free and all are welcome. More information ➡️ Link in bio VISUAL Carlow is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland . Drinks kindly sponsored by O'Haras Brewery. Images: Installing JUMP CUTS, Kate O’Shea and Aideen O’Donovan with invited collaborators - a residency exchange between the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and Fremantle Arts Centre; Moores Building Art Space, Walyalup (Fremantle), Western Australia, August 2025. Photograph by Marilyn Tuna; David Lunney, Gorse Collector, 2024, mixed media - Reflective and refractive materials, picture frame materials, fixings, smartphone, dimensions variable; Our Place, 2024. Photo: Simon Lazewski

Our new Summer 2026 Exhibition and Learning Programme leaflets are hot off the press! Discover exhibitions, workshops, tours and creative activities for all ages this Summer at VISUAL! Pick up your copy from our reception at VISUAL and various locations around Carlow Town, including @carlow_tourism 's Tourist Office, @carlowlibraries , @lennonscarlow , @lambertscoffeehouse , @waterlilies____ and @tullysbarcarlow . #VISUALCarlow

It's the 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗗 to experience the Spring Season of Exhibitions at VISUAL! Explore three exhibitions by Irish and international artists. Anne Hardy's Interloper merges human and non-human forms, earth, weather and architecture. Naomi Sex's DRILL explores language, performance, repetition and absurdity in immersive installation. Andy Fitz's Now now suspends domestic objects, time and memory in precarious, unresolved balance. In the Learn and Play Gallery, make and display your own sculptures in the interactive installation Some things are not what they seem! Visit before they close! 📅 31 January - 10 May 2026 ⏰ Tues - Sat 11am - 5.30pm, Sun 2pm - 5pm | Free admission More information ➡️ Link in bio 📷 Andy Fitz, The Table Top 11.37, 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow. Courtesy the artist and Kerlin Gallery. Photo: @roskavanagh ; Anne Hardy, Being (Interloper), 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow. © Anne Hardy, courtesy Maureen Paley, London. Photography: Angus Mill; Naomi Sex, DRILL, 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow; Some things are not what they seem! Photos: @roskavanagh VISUAL Carlow is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland . Anne Hardy's exhibition 'Interloper' is supported by @henrymoorefdn_grants . #VISUALCarlow #IrelandsAncientsEast #DiscoverIreland #KeepDiscovering #LoveIreland #IrelandTravel #VisitIreland #VisitCarlow #LoveCarlow #ExploreCarlow #CarlowTourism #ThingsToDoInIreland #IrishEventGuide

There are just 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 left to apply to VISUAL and Carlow Arts Office's Open Call for exhibition proposals, with the selected proposal resulting in a new project at VISUAL in 2027. This major collaboration between VISUAL and Carlow Arts Office continues our essential partnership, and marks 40 years of county arts officers supporting artists across Ireland. The winning application will be given time and resources to realise an ambitious exhibition in September 2027, and will benefit from curatorial, production, technical and marketing support, as well as a significant production budget and generous artist fee. The selection panel is made up of: Aileen Nolan, Carlow County Arts Officer; Aisling Prior, independent curator; Benjamin Stafford, Visual Arts Curator, VISUAL; artist Daphne Wright, and Sepake Angiama, Artistic Director of the Institute of International Visual Arts. This call is open to artists of all career stages, working in any media locally, in Ireland, or internationally. Submissions are now open until Friday 22 May at 5pm GMT. More information on how to apply can be found at ➡️ Link in bio VISUAL Carlow is supported by Carlow County Council and the Arts Council Ireland. @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco @artscouncilireland @suburbanelectrostar @aisprior @daphnewright_art #VISUALCarlow #OpenCall #ArtOpps

The countdown to @carlow_arts_festival is on! Just 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙆𝙎 to go. Explore the Carlow Arts Festival programme at The George Bernard Shaw Theatre and beyond! 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗢'𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗻: 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 A love letter in song, Camille celebrates dear friends Shane MacGowan, Sinéad O’Connor, David Bowie, Radiohead, Brel, Nick Cave and more. Chameleon-like on stage, each song has a different character with a story to tell. 📅 Friday 29 May 2026, 8pm 🎟️ €27 / €24 📍 The George Bernard Shaw Theatre, VISUAL 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲 Barry Fitzgerald presents a performance playfully delving into gender, how we carry the landscape of home, and the joy of moving as our true selves. 📅 Saturday 30 May - Monday 1 June, 3pm + 6pm 🎟️ €17 📍 Carlow College 𝗔 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗢𝗱𝘆𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘆 An immersive theatre experience that blends live physical performance and digital technology to create an unforgettable journey for teenagers and adults. 📅 Sunday 31 May 2026, 2.30pm, 4pm 📅 Monday 1 June 2026, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm 🎟️ €19 / €17 📍 The George Bernard Shaw Theatre, VISUAL 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮 Get ready for a night of exceptional stand-up as we bring together some of the finest voices in Irish comedy for one unmissable event. 📅 Sunday 31 May, 8pm 🎟️ €27 / €25 📍 The George Bernard Shaw Theatre, VISUAL 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗣 𝗯𝘆 𝗖𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 Prepare for CHOP, a dangerously funny, wildly absurd theatre performance. This high-energy one-man show dives into fragile masculinity, social satire, and environmental collapse with sharp humour and physical wit. CHOP is presented by VISUAL Carlow as part of Cian Kinsella's artists' residency. 📅 Monday 1 June, 3pm 🎟️ Free 📍 Carlow College Grounds 🎟️ Grab your tickets and plan your festival! @artscouncilireland @carlowcoco @officialcarlowarts @carlow_tourism @carlowcollegestpatricks #CarlowArtsFestival #CAF2026 #CarlowArtsFestival2026 #VISUALCarlow #WhatsOnInCarlow #Carlow

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹: 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 There are just 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 left to apply for the PROPEL Artist Development Programme 2026 from Strollers Network, Ireland’s largest consortium of Art Centres. PROPEL is an established artist support initiative that utilizes the network's existing infrastructure, resources, and wider network partnerships to support the sustainable development of independent artists working within the Irish theatre sector. The aim of this programme is to strengthen the ecology of the Irish theatre sector by firstly supporting the development of new work by independent artists, and secondly by supporting the long-term sustainable development of artists through capacity building and strategic professional development. In 2026, PROPEL will target mid-career and established artists - the call-out will alternate between this group and emerging artists yearly. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝟭𝟮𝗽𝗺. Learn more and apply ➡️ Link in bio @belltable @draiocht_blanchardstown @watergatetheatre @solsticearts @thelinenhall_castlebar @hawkswelltheatre @riverbankartscentreie @sourcearts @siamsa_tire #VISUALCarlow #OpenCall #ArtOpps #StrollersNetwork

Sculptures don’t have to be useful or beautiful - they can be weird, sad, funny, or spooky, and made from anything you find, from wood and clay to everyday objects. Our Learn and Play Gallery at VISUAL is a welcoming, hands-on space where you can explore, play, create and proudly display their own sculptures together. It’s designed for all ages, and admission is free - just like all our exhibitions. 📅 31 January - 10 May 2026 ⏰ Tues - Sat 11am - 5.30pm, Sun 2pm - 5pm | Free admission More information ➡️ Link in bio 📷 1 @briancreganphotography , 2-5 @roskavanagh VISUAL Carlow is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland . #VISUALCarlow #IrelandsAncientsEast #DiscoverIreland #KeepDiscovering #LoveIreland #IrelandTravel #VisitIreland #VisitCarlow #LoveCarlow #ExploreCarlow #CarlowTourism #ThingsToDoInIreland #IrishEventGuide

Only 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 to visit the Spring Season of Exhibitions at VISUAL! Explore three exhibitions by Irish and international artists. Anne Hardy's Interloper merges human and non-human forms, earth, weather and architecture. Naomi Sex's DRILL explores language, performance, repetition and absurdity in immersive installation. Andy Fitz's Now now suspends domestic objects, time and memory in precarious, unresolved balance. In the Learn and Play Gallery, make and display your own sculptures in the interactive installation Some things are not what they seem! Make time to experience them before they close! 📅 31 January - 10 May 2026 ⏰ Tues - Sat 11am - 5.30pm, Sun 2pm - 5pm | Free admission More information ➡️ Link in bio 📷 Anne Hardy, Being (Slipstream), 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow. © Anne Hardy, courtesy Maureen Paley, London. Photography: Angus Mill; Naomi Sex, DRILL, 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow.; Andy Fitz, Now now, 2026, Installation view, VISUAL Carlow. Courtesy the artist and Kerlin Gallery; Some things are not what they seem! Photos: @roskavanagh VISUAL Carlow is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland . Anne Hardy's exhibition 'Interloper' is supported by @henrymoorefdn_grants . #VISUALCarlow #IrelandsAncientsEast #DiscoverIreland #KeepDiscovering #LoveIreland #IrelandTravel #VisitIreland #VisitCarlow #LoveCarlow #ExploreCarlow #CarlowTourism #ThingsToDoInIreland #IrishEventGuide

THE BIG SING brings together SING SYNC: A Choir for Everyone, special guest Eurovision’s Charlie McGettigan and you - the audience - to sing together. Led by conductor Mary Amond O’Brien accompanied by Ollie Hennessy, THE BIG SING is the performance part of SING SYNC, VISUAL’s community choir. We are thrilled to welcome special guest Charlie McGettigan, Eurovision Song Contest winner for Ireland in 1994, whose skilful guitar work and passion for songwriting continue to inspire audiences at home and abroad. SING SYNC and Charlie McGettigan will perform his Eurovision-winning Rock ’n’ Roll Kids. The audience will also be invited to join in on The Feet of the Dancer and other well-known songs. THE BIG SING invites everyone to take part – whether you're a seasoned singer or just enjoy singing along. So come and experience the joy of singing together. No experience is necessary - everyone is welcome! 📅 Thursday 4 June 2026, 8pm 🎟️ €20. Book your tickets now ➡️ Link in bio Proceeds support the continuation and growth of SING SYNC. THE BIG SING is supported by @officialcarlowarts @carlowcoco and @artscouncilireland #VISUALCarlow #SINGSYNC #AChoirForEveryone #CharlieMcGettigan