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| National Craft Gallery | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Craft Gallery |
| Established | 1970s |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Type | Art museum, Craft museum |
| Director | [Information not provided] |
| Website | [Official website] |
National Craft Gallery is a public institution dedicated to the collection, display, promotion, and development of contemporary craft practice in Ireland. Situated in Dublin, the gallery presents rotating exhibitions, commissions, residencies, and education programmes that link Irish makers with international curators, funders and audiences. It operates within a network of cultural organisations, arts councils, universities and heritage bodies across Europe and North America.
The gallery was founded amid a broader revival of craft and design that involved figures and organisations such as Craft Council of Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art, National Museum of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Royal Hibernian Academy, and municipal bodies in Dublin. Early decades saw relationships with companies and initiatives including Conradh na Gaeilge, An Taisce, City Arts Centre, Kilkenny Design Workshops, and the Irish Crafts Council. International connections developed through partnerships with institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum, Crafts Council (UK), Centre Pompidou, Irish Arts Center (New York), and funding streams from entities such as the European Union cultural programmes. Directors, curators and makers associated over time include alumni from the National College of Art and Design, apprentices from traditional studios linked to families and ateliers across Leinster and Munster, and visiting practitioners from Scotland, Wales, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
The permanent collection and temporary programme showcase ceramics, textiles, glass, metalwork, woodwork and mixed-media objects by makers represented alongside archival material from workshops and studios associated with figures such as Eileen Gray, Harry Clarke, Artuad, Louis le Brocquy, Sean Scully, Eva O’Connor, Gerard Dillon, John Behan, Michael Warren, Imogen Stuart, Celia Larkin, Miriam Allen deFord and many contemporary practitioners. Exhibitions have included curated projects co-produced with organisations like the Irish Arts Council, British Council, European Cultural Foundation, Culture Ireland, Creative Europe, Asia-Europe Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Modern Art (New York), Tate Modern, British Museum, National Gallery (London), Royal Academy of Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, and regional museums such as the Ulster Museum, Crawford Art Gallery, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Hastings Contemporary, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and the Wellcome Collection. The gallery has commissioned work for festivals including the Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, Galway International Arts Festival, Cork Midsummer Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Belfast Festival at Queen's and collaborative events with crafts fairs like Bloom.
Housed in a refurbished historic building in Dublin, the premises sit within the urban fabric alongside landmarks such as Trinity College Dublin, Merrion Square, Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green, Dublin Castle and the National Library of Ireland. The architectural project involved conservation specialists, structural engineers and firms with experience on projects like Irish Georgian Society restorations, and drew comparisons to adaptive reuse seen at the Kilmainham Gaol conversion and the refurbishment of Royal Hibernian Academy spaces. Architectural critics and publications including contributors from Architectural Association (London), Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, The Irish Times, The Guardian, and international journals have noted its gallery lighting, climate-control systems and workshop studios designed in dialogue with conservation standards promoted by the International Council of Museums and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property.
Programming engages schools, tertiary students and community groups through partnerships with institutions such as National College of Art and Design, University College Cork, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, local education authorities, youth arts organisations and international exchange networks including Erasmus+ and British Council education initiatives. Workshops, masterclasses and public talks have featured makers and academics tied to centres like Central Saint Martins, Royal College of Art, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, MIT, Yale School of Art, Columbia University, and professional bodies such as Crafts Council (UK), Society of Designer Craftsmen, and the Institute of Conservation.
The gallery is governed by a board of trustees and advisory committees that have included representatives from the Arts Council of Ireland, local authorities in Dublin, academic institutions including Trinity College Dublin and National College of Art and Design, and independent curators. Core funding historically derives from the Arts Council of Ireland, project funding from Creative Europe and philanthropic support from trusts and donors linked to foundations like the Heritage Council, Ireland Funds, Atlantic Philanthropies, and corporate sponsorship from firms active in cultural philanthropy.
The institution runs awards and residency schemes for makers in partnership with organisations such as Culture Ireland, British Council, Crafts Council (UK), Studio Pottery networks, regional arts offices, and international residency platforms affiliated with the Irish Arts Center (New York), Cité internationale des arts, UNESCO Creative Cities Network members, and artist-in-residence programmes at universities like Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. Prizes and bursaries have reflected connections to national prizes and competitions such as the RDS National Crafts Competition, An Post Book Awards (in design collaborations), and named awards administered by cultural trusts.
Located in central Dublin, the gallery is accessible via public transport nodes including Heuston Station, Connolly Station, Busáras, and the Luas tram network; nearby cultural attractions include National Gallery of Ireland, Chester Beatty Library, Irish Museum of Modern Art, General Post Office (Dublin), and Temple Bar. Visitor services typically include exhibition galleries, a shop stocking designer-maker works, workshop spaces, and event facilities; seasonal opening hours and ticketing details are published in coordination with tourism agencies such as Fáilte Ireland and municipal visitor information centres.
Category:Museums in Dublin (city) Category:Art museums and galleries in Ireland