Waterford Art Gallery

Housed in the former Methodist church at Greyfriars, the Waterford Municipal Art Gallery is the home of the Waterford Art Collection, one of the oldest and best municipal collections of art in Ireland. Among the 200 works of Irish painting and Irish sculpture it contains, are works by the renowned expressionist Jack B Yeats, the landscape and portrait painter Charles Lamb and possibly the greatest twentieth century Irish artist - Louis Le Brocquy.

Unfortunately, neither the Waterford County Council nor the Waterford Municipal Art Gallery seems to provide online information about the Gallery's opening hours, or permanent collection, so for further information please phone: 051-860-856; or write to: Waterford Municipal Art Gallery, Greyfriars, Waterford.

The Two Travellers (1942)
(Jack B. Yeats)

Other Arts Venues in Waterford

In addition to its municipal gallery, Waterford also boasts several other major cultural centres: the Garter Lane Arts Centre, the Garter Lane Theatre, Mary Street Gallery, the Pauline Bewick Collection, as well as a thriving annual Arts Festival.

The Garter Lane Arts Centre is located in O'Connell Street, Waterford, and its opening hours are 10am to 6pm daily. The Arts Centre hosts numerous art shows, as well as events involving film, music, theatre and dance. For details, phone: 051-855-038

Adjoining the Arts Centre is the Garter Lane Theatre, offering a range of traditional and contemporary dramas and theatrical events. For details, phone: 051-855-038.

The Yellow Man and Ants.
Tapestry. (Pauline Bewick)

The Pauline Bewick Collection in the the Walton Building of the Waterford Institute of Technology contains 240 artworks by Irish artist Pauline Bewick, a descendant of the nineteenth century painter Thomas Bewick. Immensely prolific as an artist, Pauline Bewick is primarily associated with watercolours, although she also produces oil paintings, sculpture, and textiles like tapestries. In 2006, she generously donated over 200 artworks to the Irish state, including tapestries, wall hangings, watercolours and sketches. These artworks are on display both here in Waterford and in the Killorglin Library, Co. Kerry.

Mary Street Gallery is a contemporary visual arts gallery located in the heart of Waterford City which showcases Irish and international artists. Recent shows have included Waterford painter Claire Scott, fine art photography by Paul Kelly and Michael Durand, painters Michael Canning and Paul Doran and printmaker Cora Cummins. For details, phone: 086-340-3937.

The Waterford Arts Festival

Last year, the festival ran from 17th October to 4th November, and included events and activities involving a wide range of art media. Visual arts highlights included exhibitions by: Waterford acrylics painter Christine O'Brien Shanahan who has also worked in performance, installation, video and environmental art, ceramics and photography; Waterford photographic artist Paddy Dwan; and by abstract landscape artist Maria Gallwey.

• For details of other Munster fine art exhibitions and collections, see: Irish Art Galleries and Museums.
• For facts about painting and sculpture in Ireland, see: Guide to Irish Art

• How to Update This Mini Review of Waterford Art Gallery