01 January 2010
VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre
VISUAL is one of Ireland's leading facilities for the presentation of local, national and international contemporary visual art as well as housing a magnificent theatre comprising 350 seats, a restaurant, bookshop and bar. Developed by Carlow Local Authorities with the aid of a significant grant from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism under the ACCESS Programme, VISUAL is strategically located in the grounds of Carlow College on a site generously donated by the Trustees of the College. The building has been designed by renowned architect Terry Pawson and contains both one of the largest and most sympathetic spaces for presenting contemporary and modern art in Ireland and a series of other spaces, one of which is specially designed for presenting audio-visual and digital work. The centre has opened with a major programme of exciting exhibitions and performances of local, national and international calibre.
Visual won The Civic Trust Award, which is one of the most foremost Architectural awards in the UK and Ireland.
Further more, Visual had also been listed by the Irish Times, as one out of "Top 10 Irish Treasures" to visit. Please click here
VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & The George Bernard Shaw Theatre has won "Best Cultural Building" in the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards 2010. To view details of award please click here
For 2010 Summer Brochure click here
HOW TO FIND US: In the centre of Carlow Town, adjacent to St. Patrick's College.
OPENING TIMES: Gallery Opening Hours; Tuesday - Saturday 11.00am - 5.30pm daily. Sunday; 2.00pm - 5.00pm.
Booking Office Opening Hours; Monday - Saturday, 11.00am - 5.30pm. Sunday - 2.00pm - 5.00pm. On day of events from 1 hour prior to the show start. Tel: 059 9172400
George Bernard Shaw Summer School and Festival - 2nd & 3rd July 2010
VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre are pleased to announce its first George Bernard Shaw Summer School & Festival to be held in the GB Shaw Theatre, Carlow on the 2nd & 3rd July 2010. Ireland’s second Nobel laureate, George Bernard Shaw's ties with Carlow are particularly noteworthy and his legacy to the town is considerable.
In addition to his literary work, the Summer School & Festival will encompass and celebrate many aspects of Shaw’s life, including his irascible humour, his political and social views, and his occasionally prickly relations with Ireland.
The festival will feature a number of expert speakers, including Leonard Conolly, President of the International Shaw Society (Canada), Professor Nicholas Grene of Trinity College, Raymond Keaveney, Director National Gallery of Ireland, Ivan Wise, editor of ‘The Shavian’, journal of the Shaw Society (UK), and Dr Eibhear Walshe of UCC. These speakers will also be available for panel discussions, as will Mary White, TD – Minister of State for Equality and Human Rights, and Integration, Dr David Butler (facilitator/curator of the literary programme) and Dr Noel Kavanagh (chair), both of Carlow College. In addition, Leonard Conolly will host a workshop and discussion on approaches to teaching Shaw, and what contemporary playwrights have to learn from Shavian theatre.
The group discussions will be focused on relating the playwright’s evolution to the many interests of his long life. Here we will move beyond Shaw the dramatist to Shaw the critic, Shaw the feminist, Shaw the Fabian, Shaw the political animal. The audience will be invited to submit their own questions. There will be a children’s book fair encouraging the youth coming through to learn about his literature. There will also be a walk of Carlow town based on the Shaw connection, while Carlow Museum will release for display its archive of Shaw letters. Lectures, talks and workshops will be followed by evenings of music, vegetarian dinners, theatre performance, film screenings and much, much more.
Speaking about the festival Director of VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre Carissa Farrell has said “I am delighted that VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art & the George Bernard Shaw Theatre will host its own first George Bernard Shaw Summer School & Festival. The School will mark and celebrate the significant and positive impact that Shaw’s legacy has had on the community here in Carlow for many years, including the development of the George Bernard Shaw Theatre in the centre itself. The School has the potential to be a key event in the annual tourism calendar of Carlow and will contribute greatly to the local economy. We hope it will bring both Irish and international visitors to the County while also providing a stimulating and exciting cultural event for local audiences.”
PROGRAMME:
FRIDAY MORNING
Welcome & Registration at VISUAL
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Keynote Speaker
Ivan Wise, Editor The Shavian (UK) - ‘Shaw and Edwardian Literature’
Followed by Panel Discussion at the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.
Raymond Keaveney, Director, National Gallery Ireland.
Leonard Conolly (Canada), President of the International Shaw Society
Mr Ivan Wise, Editor The Shavian (UK)
Junior Minister Mary White TD
FRIDAY EVENING.
Keynote Speaker
Raymond Keaveney, Director, National Gallery Ireland ‘The National Gallery & the Shaw Bequest
Followed by Panel Discussion at the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.
Raymond Keaveney, Director, National Gallery Ireland.
Leonard Conolly (Canada), President of the International Shaw Society
Mr Ivan Wise, Editor The Shavian (UK)
Junior Minister Mary White TD
Feedback Forum in the George Bernard Shaw Theatre.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Dinner and other fringe events in the VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art,
Saturday Morning
Keynote Speaker
Professor Nicholas Grene TCD—’Shaw and the Habit of Derision’ (Shaw & Ireland1)
Keynote Speaker
Dr Eibhear Walshe, UCC—’Shaw and Edith Somerville’ (Shaw & Ireland 2)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
A Walking Tour of Shaw’s Carlow Town.
Opening - Carlow County Museums Archives of GB Shaw’s letters to Carlow Town Council & the bequest to Carlow.
SATURDAY EVENING
Panel Discussion
Raymond Keaveney, Director, National Gallery Ireland.
Leonard Conolly (Canada), President of the International Shaw Society
Mr Ivan Wise, Editor The Shavian (UK)
Junior Minister Mary White TD
Dr Eibhear Walshe, Dept Modern English, University College Cork
Professor Nicholas Grene Trinity College Dublin
Keynote Speaker
Leonard Conolly (Canada), President of the International Shaw Society—’ Shaw in North America.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Film Screenings My Fair Lady