Two Standout Exhibitions at An Chéad Tine for Kilkenny Arts Festival & Alternative Kilkenny Arts 2025

Juxtaposition – A Curated Celebration of Irish Contemporary Art

As the city comes alive for Kilkenny Arts Festival and the Alternative Kilkenny Arts Fringe Festival 2025, An Chéad Tine Art Organisation presents two exceptional exhibitions that promise to be a highlight of the season.

The first, Juxtaposition, which opened on Friday, 8th August in An Chéad Tine Art Gallery, is a carefully considered group show curated by the Mary Doyle Burke, features an impressive line-up of eleven Irish artists:

Bernadette Kiely, Blaise Smith R.H.A., Eamon Colman, Elizabeth Cope, Louise Cherry, Marco Di Sante, Mary Doyle Burke, Marcel Vidal, Phoebe Cope, Pauline O’Connell, Ellen Martin-Friel, and Vera Klute R.H.A.

Together, they offer a rich tapestry of contemporary Irish visual art – a meeting of distinctive voices and styles.

The location on the 1st floor of Dunnes Stores adds a unique twist – placing high-calibre art right in the beating heart of the city. For those weaving their way through the packed Kilkenny Arts Festival programme, this exhibition offers a contemplative space to pause, reflect, and engage with some of the most exciting talent working in Ireland today. Juxtaposition runs daily until 26th August.

Studio Artists Collective Exhibition – Art from the Heart of Kilkenny

On Sunday, 10th August at 2.30pm, attention shifts to No. 10 De La Salle House on The Parade, where the An Chéad Tine Studios host their Studio Artists Collective Exhibition - an exhibition which captures the spirit of Alternative Kilkenny Arts – intimate, immediate, and infused with the creative energy of the artists’ own workspace.

This show celebrates the work of Breda Greaney, Marco Di Sante, Roger O’Reilly, Ross Stewart, and Mary Doyle Burke, bringing together painting, illustration, and visual storytelling in a light-filled studio setting. To mark the launch, four of the artists have created a very special €100 painting offer – one unique, original work each, available exclusively on opening day. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, making it a golden opportunity for collectors and newcomers alike to take home a piece of the festival. Also on view in the lobby will be a separate installation by Darren Francis Caffrey.

Situated in the heart of Kilkenny, just steps from the bustling Kilkenny Arts Festival, the studios offer a rare glimpse into the craft and camaraderie of a working collective. Between the high-quality art, the affordable collectors’ pieces, and the festival buzz outside, this is a must-visit stop on your August arts trail.