Breaking the Patterns

Exhibition of Emerging Irish and European Artists, Cowshed Gallery
Launching Saturday 22nd February 2025, 2pm – 5pm

Exhibition will be open from 23rd February until 2nd March, 10am – 4pm Daily, closed on Mondays

This stunning new exhibition is brought to you by Capacity Ireland as part of a Creative Europe Project, in association with The Arts Council of Ireland and Local Authority Arts Services of Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.

Breaking the Patterns exhibition is part of a wider two-year programme led by Capacity Ireland and Carlow County Council Arts Service with residencies, exhibitions, mentoring and professional development opportunities for emerging artists. The programme is designed to target emerging Irish Visual Artists, based in Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford who may not have the means to access such supports for their artistic practice. The exhibiting artists have been selected from their participation in this ambitious programme that has fostered and cultivated their creativity through European partnerships.

“All artists that are exhibiting in this exhibition have been selected from many artists that have been supported through this partnership with local authority arts services and the Arts Council of Ireland as well as the Breaking the Patterns Creative Europe Project.

These artists all benefited from weekly mentoring to support the development of their artistic practice, a bursary payment, a 3-month art residency in either Seville or Lisbon. They also had access to dedicated studio space funding by the Arts Council of Ireland, as well as gaining practical skills whilst on their residency through work experience with local arts organisations.

Capacity Ireland has been delighted with the successes of the Breaking the Patterns project and the additional benefit of partnering with the Arts Council of Ireland and Local Authority Arts Services, which has enabled the artists to be fully supported throughout the programme.” – Daniel Smith, Director Capacity Ireland

“This exhibition is a pivot point for this group of emerging artists, who have developed their recently established artistic methodologies within the context of new cultures, places, people and climates. Within the Breaking the Patterns programme and theme there was an emphasis on cross cultural dialogue which has led the participating artists to create new work which reflects on notions of identity, place as well as both the built and natural environments where they were on residency – in Seville and Lisbon. Being immersed in a new place or programme has the ability to both overcome you with curiosity and instigate a process of deep reflection as you bring your own experiences with you. In this work we can see so many instances where such new experiences have been received and translated as ways to communicate their developing artistic language, as well as showcasing and embracing their work as artists with confidence and the belief in their capabilities.” – Róisín Foley, Curator for Breaking the Patterns exhibition.

The artists exhibiting are – Emily Lannin, Grace Hickey, Jack Lynch, Anya Payán, Rhys Wallace, Cian Lawler, Carmel Daly, Sarah Cogley, Laura Gata, Paul Cashin, Rachel Roberts, Sarah Kinneen and Rita Carmo.