Booking Open Now

Spring & Summer 2026

Representing Ireland: an exploration of Irish artists at the Venice Biennale and International Exhibitions, late 19th century to today.

Image: Detail of ‘Shelf’ by Niamh O’Malley. Collection: Hugh Lane Gallery

Description: For over 100 years, the Venice Biennale has been one of the most prestigious cultural events in the world. This important international exhibition for contemporary offers a unique opportunity for Ireland to showcase Irish contemporary art on a global stage.

During this six weeks course the work of artists Nano Reid, Norah McGuinness, Louis le Brocquy, Niamh O’Malley, Isabel Nolan and others will be discussed; insights into artists, critics and curators internationally who have shaped the Venice Biennale since its inception along with the broader context of Irish artists and other National Pavilions at the Venice Biennale will also be explored. Irish artists and Irish Pavilions at International World’s Fairs in the 20th century including London, Paris, Glasgow, New York and the context of nation building will also be discussed.

Dates: Thursdays         2:30 to 4:30 pm               7 May -11 June 2026

Location: This six part art appreciation course will be taking place entirely online via Zoom and a Meeting ID will be sent in advance closer to the time to all enrolled.

Links to recordings of the talks will be sent to all those enrolled so you can watch the illustrated talks again at your leisure. These links will remain live until one month after the course ends.

Fee: €65, advance booking required via Eventbrite. Click here to book.

National Gallery of Ireland: The Sublime and the Beautiful: Romanticism and Irish Art (Online and Replay)

Join Anytime before May 19th!

Image: Detail from James Arthur O’Connor, A Thunderstorm: the Frightened Wagoner, 1832. Image © National Gallery of Ireland.

Description: “It is beauty and ugliness. It is art for art’s sake, and art as an instrument of social salvation. It is strength and weakness, individualism and collectivism, purity and corruption, revolution and reaction, peace and war, love of life and love of death.” This definition of Romanticism expresses the contradictions to be found in a movement that revolves around the individual and each person’s own subjective experience. While it is not easily classified, and not a cohesive movement, there are some common threads to be found when exploring Romanticism in art. There is often a sense of the artist placing emotion and intuition before (or at least on an equal footing with) reason – almost as a reaction against aspects of the Enlightenment. This might also account for the belief that there is more to being human than the rational mind, there are areas of experience that cannot be easily explained or categorised. 

Through close analysis of major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture—by artists such as Francisco Goya, Eugène Delacroix, J.M.W. Turner, Caspar David Friedrich, and Théodore Géricault—it is possible to examine how Romantic artists responded to the anxieties and aspirations of their time. The course situates Romanticism within its broader cultural context, considering intersections with literature, music, nationalism, and colonialism, and addressing how themes like individuality, the gothic, and the exotic shaped visual culture. There will be a focus on the impact of Romanticism on Irish art and discussion of the many excellent examples in the National Gallery of Ireland Collection.

Dates: 8 Tuesdays: 18.00 to 19.15 – March 24^th to May 19^th (No class April 7^th)

Location: Online

Fee: €150 for 8 Weeks – Email: JDrum@ngi.ie

Online Pre-recorded

Brazilian Art: An Introduction

Join anytime!

Description: The history of Brazilian art is a rich and diverse narrative that reflects the country’s complex social, cultural, and political evolution. From indigenous craftsmanship to contemporary works, Brazilian art embodies a unique fusion of indigenous, African, European, and later, global influences. This series will cover the Early Influences and Indigenous Art before the arrival of Europeans, when Brazil was home to numerous indigenous groups, each with distinct artistic expressions. These ranged from intricate pottery and textiles to body painting, carvings, and featherwork. Indigenous art was deeply connected to rituals, cosmology, and nature. We will also look at Colonial Art (1500-1822), Independence and Early Nationalism (1822-1889) and Modernism (1920s-1960s). A great tie in to the upcoming highly anticipated exhibition in London in 2025 Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism.

Fee: €100

Booking: Click here to book