Burren College of Art - Summer Round-Up & Autumn Events
Love of Place, Nature, Community and Collaboration characterised this summer at BCA. The newly established college garden exploded in a blaze of colour, rewarding the good work of its designers James Haughey and Dr Eileen Hutton, and the tending care of BCA alumna Katerina Gribkoff. This living materials lab is dedicated to Professor Eugene Wicks, our inaugural President and his wife Bonny, who nurtured the growth of BCA from the beginning.
We were delighted to welcome Professor David Burn, newly elected President of University of Galway on his first visit to BCA where he conferred post-graduate degrees on 13 students in the historic Newtown castle in April.
What a joy this summer to meet so many alumni who dropped in with their families to say hello and to share stories of their time at BCA - even as far back as our opening year in 1994! Hearing how the experience touched lives in ways we could never have imagined is such a vindication of the continuing commitment of our wonderful team.
In this age of mistrust and crippling bureaucracy, uncertainty, turbulence and the threat of AI, BCA will continue to remain grounded and in service to nature, with respect, dignity and friendship as core, human-centered values.
Mary Hawkes-Greene
Familiar Faces - Returning Alumni
We recently had the pleasure of welcoming back former Burren College of Art students visiting Ballyvaughan and reconnecting with the studios, exhibitions and landscape that shaped their time here.
Pictured here are Kristin Benoit (top right), who studied abroad at BCA in 2013 and recently returned with her family; Brad Kalin (bottom right), who studied abroad at Burren College of Art in 1997; Morgan Whitehead (top left), Post-Baccalaureate alumna from 2016 and Trudy Laltoo (bottom left) from the very first year of the college in 1994.
Conferral of Graduate Degrees at Newtown Castle
Professor David Burn, University of Galway President, conferred postgraduate degrees on 13 students in the historic Newtown castle in April.
S.E.A. Schools in the Burren & STEAM Summer School
This summer, the Burren became a vibrant classroom as we welcomed students from Ireland, the USA and India for the S.E.A. School project Ireland: Island Systems – Land, Sea and Society. Guided by experts, local leaders, fishermen, artists and conservationists, participants moved beyond studying the landscape to truly learning from it. From investigating coastal ecology and limestone terrains to mapping how water, culture and history shape daily life, students learned to read the land through the eyes of those who call it home. A heartfelt thank you to mentors Tasneem Khan, Karen van Dorp (Burrenbeo Trust) and Shannon Carroll, alongside all the participant who made this programme so unforgettable!
Across nine remarkable days, our campus buzzed with energy as the AIB Trinity Climate Hub and the University of Malta hosted the STEAM Summer School. Together, we celebrated the rich intersections of biodiversity, culture and place. Using poetry, performance, film, photography and art installations, participants immersed themselves in the Burren landscape, discovering fresh ways it can inspire positive change in our daily lives. We are deeply grateful for such a vibrant time and look forward to watching this project evolve!
Ivy Borden: from the Burren to Arles and the National Gallery
Congratulations to Ivy Borden, mfa candidate at BCA who was shortlisted for the AIB Portrait Prize 2026 with oikos logia (I), a work combining tapestry and photography. The portrait opens at the National Gallery of Ireland on 14 November, before touring to Galway and Limerick. Following her nomination by BCA, Ivy also joined Roche Continents 2026 at LUMA Arles, France. Alongside students from across Europe, she explored weaving, bookbinding, ceramics, sustainable architecture and conservation, sharing ideas with artists and scientists about how creative collaboration can connect their disciplines.
Grace McCaffrey: from her MA exhibition to Venice
We warmly congratulate Grace McCaffrey on her MA graduate exhibition, All That Is Tangled Will Be Unravelled. Bringing together watercolour, installation and moving image, the exhibition shared the research and artistic practice she developed during her MA in Studio Art at Burren College of Art. Grace now looks ahead to a new chapter working at the Venice Biennale. We wish her every success as she takes this next step and look forward to following her continuing journey as an artist.
Living Materials Lab & Global Ecologies Studio — Art, Ecology & Collaboration
The Living Materials Lab is an emerging teaching and research initiative centred around the newly established garden at Burren College of Art. Designed by organic horticulturist James Haughey, it is currently cared for by BCA alumna Katerina Gribkoff, who is due to be awarded her PhD in April 2027. Planting was initiated in collaboration with current Art & Ecology postgraduate students and regular hands-on workshops with students, including the Global Ecologies summer school students explore growing practices, sustainable materials and creative experimentation.
With funding from the Partnership for Academic Leadership in Sustainability (PALS) Development Grant, a new undergraduate module is being developed around the garden. The grant supports dedicated research and curriculum development, establishing the Living Materials Lab as a living classroom where students can explore the relationships between art, ecology and material processes.
Alvy Carragher - 2026 David Whyte Poet in Residence Award
Burren College of Art is delighted to welcome Alvy Carragher as the recipient of the 2026 David Whyte Poet in Residence Award. Based in Dublin, Alvy is the author of three poetry collections, most recently What Remains the Same (The Gallery Press, 2024). During her residency, she is developing new work within the creative community of Burren College of Art.
Left image: Alvy Carraggher Right Image: Left to Right - David Whyte, Alvy Carragher, Mary Hawkes-Greene
Welcoming our New students
Our new students for the Autumn semester during their orientation week.
BURREN ANNUAL 2026
Burren College of Art presents Original Copy: Mushrooms, Megaliths and Maculate Monuments, the Burren Annual 2026, from 24 September to 23 October. Featuring John Cage, Original Copy (Riccardo Carbone and John Strutton), George Shaw and Marissa Stoffer, this group exhibition explores place, time, ritual and chance through art, sound and collaboration. Opening reception and live performance takes place on Thursday, 24 September, 6–8pm. The Gallery at Burren College of Art is open Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm. For more information, please visit our website here
Top: Original Copy, Return to the Land of Nod (Film Still), 2025 Lower Left: George Shaw, Midwinter Lower Right: Marissa Stoffer, Song of Earth, 2025 Below: Original Copy, Fungi Drawings, 2026
Summer Workshops 2026
Our summer workshops brimmed with creativity as participants explored painting, drawing, bookmaking and mixed media, sharing ideas, learning new skills and enjoying a wonderful week together in the Burren landscape.
Two Singers, One Song
During August and September, the Gallery hosted Two Singers, One Song, an exhibition of painting and drawing by Jackie Askew and sculpture by Sheila Vollmer.
Thank you, Lisa and welcome, Ivan!
After 11 years at Burren College of Art, Lisa Newman is setting off on new adventures. An accomplished performance artist and valued colleague, Lisa leaves with our heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes. We welcome Ivan Twohig as Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing. Ivan brings experience as an installation artist and creative consultant with Science Gallery, alongside 12 years as Director of Technology & Campus Resources at Parsons Paris, The New School. We look forward to the experience and perspective he brings to our community.
