Events

Are you an Artist/Designer/Maker living in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Area?

If yes, then this event may be of interest to you.

GROW South Antrim is working with partners in Finland, Estonia and Mexico on a project to support rural craftspeople in the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey through the NI Rural Development Programme (2014 – 2020). The project may involve craft skills development and exchanges, and access to international marketplaces. For this project, we are keen to target craft businesses, or those carrying out craft with the potential of turning their hobby/craft practice into a part-time or full time business.

Date & Time: Thursday 19 April 2018, 7pm

Ashbrooke House has teamed up with Sandra Robinson and Helen Moore to deliver a 2.5 day ceramics course. 

This is a really exciting opportunity to work with clay in a non-intimidating, and constructive framework. The course is open to beginners and advanced sculptures alike. In addition to making your own work to keep, the course promotes experimentation and the sharing of ideas. Clay-workers of all abilities welcome. 

Dates: 10 - 13 May 2018

The annual Armagh Craft Fair returns to the Market Place Theatre on Saturday 26 May. Showcasing 45 designer/makers this event offers an amazing range of beautiful handmade craft to browse and buy. 

With free children's craft workshops this is a family friendly event. You will also have a chance to try something yourself with opportunities to have-a-go throughout the day.

Fantastic live music performances and great food served all day.
Admission is FREE.

The British Craft Trade Fair will take place at the Great Yorkshire Showground in beautiful Harrogate place from 8 - 10 April 2018.

The fair showcases work from exclusively British and Irish makers.

Celebrate the opening of a new gallery & studio space at Top Floor Art on Thursday 12 April 7pm - 9pm

Belfast based Artist and Fashion Designer, Chloe Dougan explores the vulnerability of creating art in her upcoming exhibition - Anxiety and the Artist

Join Glass Artist Maggie Napier for an Art Glass Bead workshop which will cover the fundamentals of art glass bead making.

100 UK organisations - including 14 across Northern Ireland - to create 100 unique banners for PROCESSIONS in collaboration with female artists and community groups

In this course you will develop the skills needed to produce silkscreen prints at home.During the course you will learn about mixing inks, making your own silkscreen frame and how to print repeated patterns.The printing methods taught can be applied to fabrics including t-shirts and bags, posters, cards and much more. The opportunity to create work for your own chosen project will also be an option. This course is designed to be fun, practical and in a relaxed environment.

Applied Arts Northern Ireland presents a lecture by Nigel Cheney, 'Unravelling the Archive - 50 Years in 50 Minutes.' 

Location: North West Regional College, Derry.

Date & Time: Thursday 22 March 2018, 10am

During this hands-on glassmaking course you will learn all the basic skills of hot glass working in order to make your own piece with a professional glassblower and learn the magical way glass is sculpted. Our course is great if you are a complete beginner as no previous experience is necessary. We offer tuition on the glassblowing course for a maximum of 4 people at a time, so book early to avoid disappointment. You will be able to take home your own piece of art after it has cooled down overnight.

Date & Time: Saturday 26th or Sunday 27th May 2018, 10am – 1pm or 2pm – 5pm

Inspired by the simple principle that people are fascinated when artists and craftsmen openly demonstrate their skills and discuss their work. Learn, buy and enjoy exhibitions, classes and performances by local artists.

This is FREE to attend.

Date & Time: Bank Holiday Monday 7th May Time: 12pm – 4pm

Textile Artist Andrea Hayes will show participants a variety of contemporary textile techniques that she uses to create her on artwork. Individuals can create a similar variation to one of Andrea's pieces or if they have a scene/image they would like to recreate they can bring do this also. This will include using specialist paints to paint backgrounds, access to a wide variety of fabrics for applique and fusing fabrics together and using fine metal such as copper and how to incorporate this into their very own artwork.

Date & Time: 14th April, 10am – 4pm Cost: £35 – includes lunch.

Re:New Wallace Collection

Alison Lowry

Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Sir Richard Wallace, this is the first collaboration between Lisburn’s R –Space Gallery and the Wallace Collection in London. The Collection is housed in 25 galleries and comprises French 18th Century painting, furniture and porcelain and a world class armoury. And it’s the armoury in particular that has inspired artist Alison Lowry’s week long residency at the collection.

Exhibition runs: 7 April – 4 May 2018

Exhibition Preview: Sat 7 April 2-4 pm

Artist Talk: Wednesday 25 April 7pm - All Welcome!

A two day conference including talks, panel discussions and networking event. This event provides an excellent opportunity for makers, curators and those interested in contemporary craft to connect with international experts. The theme for this year's conference is, 'New Ways of Seeing'.

Dates & Times: Thursday 7 June - Friday 8 June 2018, 10am - 5pm.

Applied Arts Ireland and Applied Arts Northern Ireland present lectures by, Svend Bayer and Peter Montgomery. 

Date & Time: Wednesday, 7 March 2018, 1pm.

A series of works which explore narratives around the body, femaleness and nostalgia. These woven works are anti-form sculptures and wall-based works that use a mixed pallete of old, second hand, vintage and unwanted clothes as raw materials.

Re-considered Clothes workshop Wednesday 28 February 11am

Photographers credit – Alison Bettles
Title of work –‘When I get older….’

Dates: 24 February to 23 March 2018

Part of NI Science Festival 2018, 'The Notion of Balance' explores issues around balance, tension calibration and equilibrium, relating to our emotional wellbeing. 

Exhibition Opening: 2 - 5pm, 19 February 2018. Everyone Welcome.

Dates: 19 February - 3 March 2018

A textile based exhibition by Mairead McCormack Artist exploring the idea of memories, imagination, fragmented realities and interconnectedness.

Preview: 1 February 2018, 7-9pm

Dates: 2 - 24 February 2018

The Heritage Crafts Association Conference, 'Crafts for the Future', will take place on 24 March 2018.