News: Thank you for your Submissions to ‘Water and Flow’

Poster for Feltmakers Ireland's exhibition submission, titled 'Water & Flow', at Phoenix Park Visitors Centre in April 2026. Note indicating that applications are now closed.

WOW!

Dear Members,

Thank you for all of your excellent submissions!

We are overjoyed to receive such an outpouring from you. There will be 68 pieces in our group show, ‘Water and Flow’.

This Open Call is now shut – the deadline was extended a week to the 20th of March.

Email Confirmations

Each artist will receive an email with instructions on where to drop off or mail their artwork.

If you are NOT dropping it off at the gallery on the MORNING, 10:30 – 11:30 AM of the installation on Wednesday, the 1st of April, you should ensure your piece has been received at one of the five drop-off points by Tuesday, the 31st of March.

If you need to drop off your piece at the gallery on the morning of the installation, please let us know BEFOREHAND by email.

Questions or concerns, please email feltmakersIE@gmail.com

Exhibition: BeCraft’s ‘Abattoir’ Group Exhibition – Dr Niki Collier – Belgium

BeCraft presents a group exhibition, ‘A la belle vue de l’abattoir’, which marks 20 years of organisation.

Bringing together around fifty artists from twelve European countries, the exhibition explores the theme โ€œAbattoirsโ€ through contemporary applied arts and crafts practices. Through memory, poetry and critical perspectives, the works explore the history and contemporary meanings of these sites, now part of our heritage, and question our relationship to the living, to making, and to transformation.

BeCraft is a professional association that promotes applied arts in the Wallonia and Brussels regions. Ceramics, glass, jewellery, paper, textiles, and product design are among the creative fields in which the supported and promoted artists work.ย  Since its inception, the association has worked closely with the ECA โ€“ European Crafts Alliance (formerly WCC-Europe).

Feltmakers Ireland member Dr Niki Collier‘s piece, ‘The guts to be accountable’, is part of the exhibition.

Artist Statement from Dr Collier –

This is a three-part handmade felt sculpture emoted from the texture and form of the stomach, the guts, and the tongue The sculpture is informed by a cow’s digestive system which is a complicated multitude of organs. They can be a source of learning and growth; simultaneously as an organ and as a symptom of how we interact with food. The food industry today has developed such a disconnect between the food that we eat and its origin that we are conditioned to believe that only certain parts of the animal are nutritious or have a purpose. Rather than looking into changing ourselves: our relationship to food and what and how we eat, we demand the humane killing of farmed animals. The work is also a comment on greed and how greed dictates smokescreens such as โ€˜โ€™humane killing of animalsโ€™โ€™ rather than addressing our behaviour in how and what we eat; which would have an actual impact on the sustainability of our environment. The stomach is now discarded as rubbish by the contemporary food industry, while it used to be a source of healing, a treat reserved for special occasions, and a membrane used to create tools for music and craft. The sculptures aim to start a conversation about our eating habits โ€“ what we should not discard โ€“ and focus on our own accountability rather than on methods of slaughter.

Where: Anciens Abattoirs de Mons, Rue de la Trouille 17, 7000 Mons, Belgium

Runs until the 24th of May.

For more information, visit BeCraft’s website – https://www.becraft.org/event/a-la-belle-vue-de-l-abattoir-expo

Instagram: @becraftorg @nikicollierfelt

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.

Open Call: RHA Annual Exhibition 2026 – Submission Deadline the 23rd

A person viewing the 196th RHA Annual Exhibition at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, surrounded by various artworks on the walls. A note in the corner says 'Apply Now!'


A reminder: The deadline for The Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (RHA) Annual Exhibition is this coming Monday, the 23rd of February.

They are currently accepting submissions for their 196th exhibition. It is Irelandโ€™s largest and longest-running open submission exhibition, and will be open to the public from Monday, the 25th of May, to Sunday, the 9th of August, with free admission at all times.

Open to all artists working in painting, drawing, print, sculpture, photography and architecture, the RHA Annual attracts a large public and critical audience.

Editorโ€™s Note: There is a recap of 2024’s exhibition as several pieces included textile materials or techniques, including a piece by guild member Leiko Uchiyama โ€“ https://feltmakersireland.com/2024/07/30/exhibition-final-week-of-the-rha-annual-show/

For more information, visit the RHA website โ€“ https://rhagallery.ie/rha-annual/

Their Instagram: @rha.arts

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.

Exhibitions: Two Members have Work in Group Shows

Feltmakers Ireland members exhibit their artwork in group and solo shows.

Two of our members have artwork in exhibitions.

FGU Art Group

An invitation card for the opening of the 'Waterways Dublin 8' art exhibition by the FGU Art Group, featuring a collage of water-themed illustrations including ducks and swans, with event details.

Helena Mc Guinness has artwork in ‘Waterways Dublin 8’. She is part of a group exhibition of artists who create with the Fatima Groups United Family Resource Centre.

When: The show opens this Friday, the 7th, and runs through February.

Monday: Closed, Tuesdays through Saturdays: 9 AM – 7 PM, and Sundays: 11 AM – 6 PM.

Where: Small Changes, 120 Emmet Rd, Inchicore, Dublin 8, D08 Y962

Changing Ireland Galleries

A Crolly Doll named Moira in a striped dress, accompanied by its packaging displaying the name and description.

Helena also recalls her ‘Crolly Doll’ at the exhibitionย ‘Changing Ireland: Changing Stories’ย at the Decorative Arts & Military History Museum of the National Museum of Ireland.

Where: Collins Barracks, Benburb St, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 XKV4

If you are unable to see the exhibition in person, you can read about her recollections on their website – https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Decorative-Arts-History/Projects/Changing-Ireland-Changing-Stories/Helena-McGuinness

And you can listen to Helena, here – https://ci-tour.nmi.eu/1/635/15123/index.html


Made in Wicklow

Sharon Wells has sculpture, wall art, and wearable art in Made in Wicklow’s ‘Head, Heart & Hands’ group exhibition, which has the work of 41 members of the organisation.

Free entry to the show. 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

When: the 31st of January through the 8th of February.

Where: The Entrance Hall, Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, A98 W0D0

For more information, visit the Made in Wicklow website – https://madeinwicklow.com/powerscourt-2026/

Their Instagram – @made_in_wicklow @sharonwellsart

If you are a current member of Feltmakers Ireland and you have an upcoming exhibition or workshop, please get in touch with us at feltmakersIE@gmail.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.

Open Call: RHA Annual Exhibition 2026 – Accepting Submissions


The Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (RHA) Annual Exhibition is accepting submissions for its 196th exhibition. It is Irelandโ€™s largest and longest-running open submission exhibition, and will be open to the public from Monday, the 25th of May, to Sunday, the 9th of August, with free admission at all times.

Open to all artists working in painting, drawing, print, sculpture, photography and architecture, the RHA Annual attracts a large public and critical audience.

Editorโ€™s Note: There is a recap of 2024’s exhibition as several pieces included textile materials or techniques, including a piece by guild member Leiko Uchiyama โ€“ https://feltmakersireland.com/2024/07/30/exhibition-final-week-of-the-rha-annual-show/

Entry deadline: Monday, the 23rd of February, 2026.

For more information, visit the RHA website โ€“ https://rhagallery.ie/rha-annual/

Their Instagram: @rha.arts

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: Lucid Dreaming at DLR Lexicon – Deirdre Crofts included

Feltmakers Ireland guild memberย Deirdre Croftsย has a piece inย ‘Lucid Dreaming’, a group exhibition at the DLR Lexicon Library in Dรบn Laoghaire, selected and curated by Davey Moor, Curator at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA).

Where: DLR LexIcon Library and Cultural Centre, Queen’s Rd, Dรบn Laoghaire, Dublin.

The show runs until Sunday, the 15th of February 2026.

For more information, visit the DLR’s website – https://www.dlrcoco.ie/arts/municipal-gallery-dlr-lexicon/lucid-dreaming-dlr-open-exhibition-2025

@dlr_arts @crofts.deirdre


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: Last Week of Sculpture in Context 2025

Post for Sculpture in Context - 40th Anniversary

This is the last week to catch Sculpture in Context at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. The exhibition runs through this Friday, the 10th of October and includes the work of over 90 artists.

Where: National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Dublin 9, D09 E7F2.

The Gardens are open daily, with free admission.

Guild Members

Three of Feltmakers Irelandโ€™s members have pieces in the show:ย 

Ramona Farrelly‘Radiozoa’

Juliane Gorman‘SeeSeaBlue’

Fiona Leech‘Silent Chimes’

Apologies for some of the less-than-stellar photos.

On TV

On Friday, the 3rd of October, the RTร‰ television program Nationwide produced a feature about this year’s Sculpture in Context. At around the 10-minute mark, you can see Juliane’s piece. To watch, visit the RTร‰ Player – https://www.rte.ie/player/series/nationwide/SI0000001172?epguid=IH10008772-25-0111

Note: The RTE program will only be available for viewing within Ireland and will only be up for 21 days from the original transmission date.

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.

Exhibitions: 2 Art Exhibitions Open in Dublin This Week

Dublin is buzzing with creativity this week as two milestone exhibitions open, each celebrating decades of artistry and community.

Sculpture in Context โ€“ 40th Anniversary Show at the National Botanic Gardens

One of Irelandโ€™s most beloved annual art events, Sculpture in Context, has returned after a hiatus to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin for its 40th year. The exhibition transforms the gardens into an open-air gallery, with sculptures of every scale and style nestled among the trees, glasshouses, and landscaped grounds. Visitors can expect a vibrant mix of work from established and emerging artists, with pieces that playfully interact with their natural surroundings.

Three of Feltmakers Ireland’s members have pieces in the show: Ramona Farrelly, Juliane Gorman, and Fiona Leech.

When: Thursday, the 4th of September to Friday, the 10th of October.

Where: National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Dublin 9, D09 E7F2.

For more information, visit their website – https://sculptureincontext.ie/

Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers โ€“ 50th Anniversary Show at the Lexicon Library

Meanwhile, in Dun Laoghaire, the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers (IGWSD) is marking its 50th anniversary with a special exhibition at the dlr Lexicon Library. Showcasing the craft traditions of weaving, spinning, and dyeing, the exhibition highlights both heritage techniques and contemporary textile art.

Visitors will see a rich variety of textures and coloursโ€”handwoven fabrics, intricate patterns, and natural dyes that speak to the Guildโ€™s commitment to preserving and evolving Irelandโ€™s textile heritage.

Two of Feltmakers Ireland members have work in the show: Juliane Gorman and Sharon Wells.

When: From the 4th to the 19th of September.

Where: Lexicon Library, Queen’s Road, Dรบn Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 H283.

The guild is also offering two workshops in celebration of this occasion.

  • A drop spindle workshop on Saturday, the 6th of September, 11 AM to 2 PM; (40 euros)
  • A rigid heddle workshop on Saturday, the 13th of September, from 11 AM to 3 PM. (50 euros) .

To reserve a spot, contact the Guild Secretary at hello@weavespindye.ie

For more information, visit their website – https://weavespindye.ie/

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

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 โ€˜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: Guild Member Annika Berglund in Group Bloomsday Exhibition – Olivier Cornet Gallery – Dublin

Poster of Annika Berglund's art deco inspired artwork. Olivier Cornet Summer Show Group Show - 'Out of Lines' for Bloomsday.

The Olivier Cornet Gallery is delighted to present Out of Lines: A Bloomsday group exhibition.

The exhibition features new work by Annika Berglund, Hugh Cummins, Mary A. Fitzgerald, David Fox, Nickie Hayden, Miriam McConnon, Sheila Naughton, Yanny Petters, Kelly Ratchford, Vicky Smith and Colin Eaton.

As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris Art Deco Expo, the Bloomsday exhibition at the Olivier Cornet Gallery will be an artistsโ€™ response to this period during which James Joyceโ€™s Ulysses was published. The show will feature work by our gallery artists and invited artists who have explored exterior signs of art deco in Dublin, from architectural features in government buildings, cocktails and flappers, through bathing shelters, libraries, to hotels and cinemas. The show will also showcase personal interpretations of that period from family lore through shared stories to current events.

Official opening: Sunday, the 15th of June 2025, 3:00 PM.

This exhibition is part of the 2025 Bloomsday Festival’s official programme, organised by the James Joyce Centre Dublin.

For more information, visit the Olivier Cornet Gallery – https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/out-of-lines-bloomsday-group-show

Link to the Bloomsday Festival – https://www.bloomsdayfestival.ie/

Link to the James Joyce Centre – https://jamesjoyce.ie/


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.