Tag: Art Exhibitions

Open Call: Loewe Foundation Craft Prize

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

This year’s annual international Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is now accepting applications.

Even if you are not interested in applying, please do check out the online exhibition of the previous winner and shortlisters of this fine craft award; their work is inspiring! Each listing includes a video tour of the artist’s studio. And while there doesn’t appear to be any works using the technique of feltmaking, there are some amazing textiles!

Here are just three examples:

The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize celebrates “excellence, artistic merit and newness in modern craftsmanship. A panel of experts will select the winning entry, which will receive a €50,000 prize, from a shortlist of 30 artists. All finalist works will be presented in an exhibition at Singapore, opening in spring 2026.”

Submissions are open until the 30th of October, 2025.

For more information, visit their website –https://craftprize.loewe.com/en/craftprize2026

Their Instagram: @loewefoundation

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: ‘Common Threads’ – Feltmakers Ireland & The Quilters Guild of Ireland – National Design & Craft Gallery

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Poster for Common Threads

The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland presents ‘Common Threads’, an exhibition curated by Sarah Ross, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.

The exhibition opens at the National Design and Craft Gallery (NDCG) on Thursday, the 7th of August and runs until the 1st of November.

Where: National Design & Craft Gallery, The Castle Yard, The Parade, Gardens, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny, R95 CAA6

When: The opening is at 3 PM, Thursday, the 7th of August 2025. Please RSVP by Friday, the 1st of August- rsvp@dcci.ie

For more information, visit the gallery’s website – https://www.dcci.ie/events/common-threads/

Instagram: @dccireland @ndcgallery

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Sandra Coote – Solo Show in Co Cavan

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Poster for Sandra Coote's exhibition - Spoken in fibre -features two landscapes and a portrait

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Sandra Coote has a solo exhibition at the Cavan County Museum. Titled ‘Spoken In Fibre – Wool art inspired by the poetry of Charles J. Coote’, this new exhibition features felted paintings by Sandra Coote.

There is a lovely article about Sandra, her work, and its inspiration, which was the poetry of the great-grandfather of her husband, on The Anglo-Celt’s website – https://www.anglocelt.ie/2025/07/20/poetry-and-art-rooted-in-place/

Sandra dyes all the wool she uses, which comes from her own farm or local farmers; it is entirely sourced from County Cavan.

Where: Cavan County Museum, The Eden Gallery, Virginia Rd, Kilmore, Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, A82 YP70

When: The opening is this Thursday at 7:30 PM. The exhibition runs until Saturday, the 23rd of August.

For more information about visiting the museum, visit their website – https://cavanmuseum.ie/cavan-museum

Sandra’s Instagram: @crafts_of_ireland

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Ceramics Ireland Show – National Botanic Gardens – Dublin

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Long-time Feltmakers Ireland member, Deirdre Crofts, has two ceramic pieces in the Ceramics Ireland group show Clay/Works 2025 at the National Botanic Gardens. The exhibition showcases the work of over 80 makers from across the country. A diverse range of ceramic pieces is displayed, including functional, decorative, wall panels, and sculptural forms.

The show runs through Sunday, the 27th of July.

Where: The gallery above the cafe at the Education Visitors Centre, National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Rd, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 W0Y0

For more information, visit the National Botanic Garden’s website – https://www.botanicgardens.ie/event/exhibition-clay-works-2025/

The Instagram for Ceramics Ireland @ceramicsireland


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Open Call: Hunt Museum Annual Exhibition

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The Hunt Museum in Limerick invites artists from across Ireland and beyond to submit work for its annual exhibition.

This inaugural show will offer a platform for both emerging and established artists to showcase their work. Submissions are invited from visual artists working in paint, photography, sculpture, print, drawing and mixed media.

The selected pieces will be exhibited at the Hunt Museum, providing artists with the opportunity to gain public exposure and engage with a diverse audience.

Submission deadline: Sunday, the 31st of August, 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.huntmuseum.com/whats-on/hunt-museum-open-submission-exhibition/

Hunt Museum’s Instagram – @huntmuseum

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: VAI Connected Horizons – Working with Galleries

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

This webinar, ‘Working with Galleries,’ is part of Visual Artists Ireland’s Connected Horizons programme. It explores how artists across the island of Ireland can engage with established galleries and institutions.⁠
⁠
Hear from:⁠
• The MAC (Belfast) @themacbelfast⁠
• The Glucksman (Cork) @theglucksman ⁠
• Gasworks (London) @gasworkslondon⁠
⁠
Each organisation will present their work, outline available opportunities, and share advice on how artists can connect with them. The session will end with a live Q&A.⁠
⁠
Connected Horizons aims to:⁠
• Strengthen cross-border and East-West connections⁠
• Facilitate collaboration between artists and organisations⁠
• Support professional development and long-term networks⁠
• Increase regional visibility for artists⁠


When: Tuesday, the 29th of July⁠
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM⁠
Online via Zoom⁠
⁠
Register now via the VAI website – a discounted rate is available for VAI members.⁠ https://visualartists.ie/professional-development-_/#!event/2025/7/29/connected-horizons-working-with-galleries-museums

Their Instagram – @visualartistsireland

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: The Fine Art of Textile – Coach House Gallery – Dublin

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The Fine Art of Textile in the Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle, is an international exhibition of contemporary textiles that cross artistic genres—painting, sculpture, drawing, and sewing. It is curated by Irish artist Nuala Goodman, with the assistance of Italian journalist Maria Luisa Caffarelli.

The exhibition’s core is the Milan-based collective ‘Fringe’, founded in 2022 by four female artists from different countries. Fringe is a vibrant, creative force exploring the expressive potential of textiles. There is Sanchita Ajjampur, who re-interprets the ancient skills of raffia weave and embroidery creating sustainable handcrafted works; Lisa Farmer, whose art pieces lie somewhere in between basketry and tapestry; Nuala Goodman whose ‘Wild Tapestries’ uses preloved and precious textiles to create works of art, and Colomba Leddi whose synthetic, linear forms create spatial redefinition.

Curated by Irish artist Nuala Goodman, ‘The Wild Donegal Tweed Project’ is a collaboration between five Donegal tweed companies and art and design students from NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) in Rome.

Through the Irish Times fashion journalist Deirdre McQuillan, the five Donegal companies (McNutt of Donegal, Magee 1866, Molloy & Sons, Triona Design and Studio Donegal) have donated their fabrics to the NABA textile workshop. The woven, natural and sustainable quality of Donegal tweed appealed to the students as an alternative to cheap synthetic materials. Tweed cushions (45 x 45 cm) were chosen as the ideal form for re-imagining techniques such as smocking, embroidery, felting, patchwork, layering and more.

– Text from the OPW.

Where: The Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle, near the Chester Beatty.
When: 6th of June, 2025 – 24th of August, 2025
Opening hours: 10 AM – 5 PM
Free admission

For more information, visit the OPW’s website – https://dublincastle.ie/category/dublin-castle-exhibitions/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Flax Flower Project Unveils Felt Installation at Titanic Museum – Belfast

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

Twelve talented artisans from three felting organisations—Feltmakers Ireland, Feltmakers North, and the International Feltmakers Association (IFA)—have collaborated on the Flax Flower Project, a unique wet-felted installation set to debut at the Titanic Museum on Tuesday, the 1st of July, 2025. The exhibit, which celebrates Belfast’s rich heritage in flax and linen production, will run through August 2025 and return each summer thereafter.

The Flax Flower Project showcases intricate floral designs crafted from sustainable materials, including Merino wool, bamboo fibres, Margilan silk, silk fibres, and flax strands for hanging. This vibrant display blends traditional craftsmanship with innovative textile art, highlighting the cultural and industrial significance of flax in Belfast’s history.

Behind the Scenes

Shelley Steele and Jane Fox co-coordinated the Flax Flower Project. Shelley expressed her enthusiasm: “It’s been a great pleasure to organise The Flax Flower Project alongside Jane Fox. Bringing together such talented artists to honour Belfast’s legacy has been truly rewarding.”

Loli Cox, a member of Feltmakers Ireland and IFA, added: “I was thrilled to join this project, which celebrates Belfast’s flax and linen heritage while showcasing the sustainable art of feltmaking. This exhibit not only honours our past but also inspires sustainable creativity for the future, aligning perfectly with Feltmakers Ireland’s mission to promote natural fibres like sheep’s wool for wearable and artistic applications.”

The project reflects the felting organisations’ commitment to sustainable textile practices and the revival of traditional crafts. It highlights feltmaking as a sustainable art form, while also celebrating the heritage of linen-making—a craft that was once a cornerstone of Belfast’s economy. Through the tactile and creative process of wet felting, these artisans will educate the public about the historical and cultural significance of flax and wool, promoting eco-conscious artistry.

The contributing artists are Sharon Bell, Loli Cox, Jane Fox, Siobhán Healy Ryan, Marie Hopkins, Viktor Hurtovyi, Elaine McCombe, Laura Moffett, Jacki Sleator, Shelley Steele, and Fiona Whyte.

The Artists

For more information about the Flax Flower Project or to schedule a visit to the Titanic Museum exhibit, please visit the website. – https://www.titanicbelfast.com/

Feltmakers Ireland is dedicated to promoting sustainable textile practices and raising awareness of natural fibres through innovative and traditional feltmaking techniques – https://feltmakersireland.com/

The IFA fosters a global community of feltmakers, encouraging creativity and collaboration in the art of feltmaking – https://www.feltmakers.com/

Feltmakers North supports artisans in Northern Ireland, preserving and advancing the craft of feltmaking through education and exhibitions. https://feltmakersnorth.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Member Mel Bradley Artwork – Louth Craftmark Group Exhibition – Armagh, UK

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Louth Craftmark is a group of makers and visual artists based in the North East of Ireland.

They currently have three exhibitions of ‘Reveal Conceal’ which span across three venues,

  • The Leitrim Design House, Carrick-on-Shannon, from 24th May to 6th July,
  • The Marketplace Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh, 16th May – 5th July, and
  • The Cowshed Gallery, Farmleigh, 15th July to 15th August 2025.

While the artists’ pieces are not identical across all three venues, they are from the same collections of work in response to the theme of this show. The artists have come together across a range of disciplines to create a new body of work that explores the ‘inside out of things’.

Feltmakers Ireland member Mel Bradley‘s work is included at The Marketplace Theatre & Arts Centre.

Where: The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh, UK.

When: until the 5th of July.

The Leitrim Design House Gallery has information about the exhibition – https://leitrimdesignhouse.ie/blogs/news/louth-craftmark-exhibition

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Annika Berglund – Blick Galleri – Stockholm, Sweden

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Guild member Annika Berglund has a solo art exhibition in Stockholm, Sweden.

It will be her first time showing work in Sweden, and she hopes to make connections with Swedish artists and feltmakers. She will be in the gallery throughout the exhibition and hopes to meet those who can attend.

When: the 26th of June to the 6th of July.

Where: Blick Galleri, Hornsgatan 32, Stockholm, Sweden

Several of her pieces are also on display at the Olivier Cornet Gallery’s group exhibition, ‘Out of Lines’, in Dublin, Ireland.

Instagram: @annikaberglund.art @olivier_cornet_gallery

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.