Crawford Art Gallery
Crawford Art Gallery is a National Cultural Institution, dedicated to the visual arts, both historic and contemporary. The collection comprises over 3,000 works, ranging from eighteenth-century Irish and European painting and sculpture, through to contemporary video installations. At the heart of the collection is a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. Through its exhibitions and Learn and Explore programmes, Crawford Art Gallery is committed to fostering recognition, critical assessment, and an acknowledgement of historical and contemporary Irish and international art practice. Located in the heart of Cork city, the gallery is a critical part of Ireland's cultural and tourism infrastructure, welcoming over 265,000 visitors a year. Admission to the Gallery is free.
Crawford Art Gallery is situated in a landmark heritage building at Emmet Place in the heart of Cork City’s commercial quarter. Photo: Jed Niezgoda.
The collection of Crawford Art Gallery comprises over 3,000 objects, ranging from eighteenth-century Irish and European painting, sculpture and print, through to contemporary photography and video. Photo: Jed Niezgoda.
Crawford Art Gallery pursues a vibrant programme of temporary and permanent exhibitions. These foster recognition, critical assessment, and an acknowledgement of historical and contemporary Irish and international art practices. Pictured is Naked Truth (2018), a significant group exhibition exploring the nude in Irish art. Photo: Jed Niezgoda.
Our dynamic Learn & Explore programme mirrors the diversity of our audiences, providing spaces to feed the imagination and where creativity is valued. Our programmes include workshops, tours, talks, performances, large-scale events and long-term community and health-based partnership projects. Pictured is a BEAG Early Years Arts programme run in partnership with Graffiti Theatre Company in the innovative Seen And Heard Playspace (2019). Photo: Clare Keogh.
Crawford Art Gallery takes seriously its duty of care to the collection, working with our national colleagues and institutions, and external conservationists, to ensure its preservation for future generations to enjoy. Pictured is noted classicist Professor Mary Beard assisting with The Fig Reveal (2019) sculpture conservation project, filmed as part of Mary Beard’s Shock of the Nude (2020) documentary series for BBC. Photo: Helena Hunt / BBC / Lion Television.
Through its wide-ranging programme of events, Crawford Art Gallery seeks to probe the future, contemplate the present and reveal the past, creating engaging conversations across the timelines. Pictured are artist Brian O’Doherty and art historian Barbara Novak during a One Here Now event in partnership with Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh. Photo: Clare Keogh.