KCAT Arts Centre

01/10/2026

21/09/2026

Open Studio with Declan Byrne
At the Garden Studio
Wednesday 30th September
Drop in between 1:30pm - 2:30pm

Declan Byrne will open his studio to the public on Wednesday 30th September from 1:30pm - 2:30pm.

Declan has been Artist-in-Residence for the month of September, where he has been developing a new body of work, inspired directly by the museum environment and his daily journey to and from the studio.

Drop-in to our Garden Studio to see Declan's artistic process and artworks in stages of development.

Declan Byrne's Artist Residency is part of a supported, inclusive and accessible artist-led residency programme at Butler Gallery, where a selected artist from KCAT Arts Centre has the opportunity to develop a new or existing body of work in the museum context.

About the artist:

Declan Byrne has been a member of KCAT Studio since 2004. He has exhibited
internationally, including at UNT Art Galleries Dallas Texas, Beyond Festival Leeds UK,Project Ability Glasgow Scotland, Freight Gallery Fremantle Australia, Gallery Prabbeli Luxembourg and the Art Brut Biennale Hengelo the Netherlands. He has also shown extensively in Ireland, including at the Linenhall Arts Centre Castlebar, F.E. McWilliam Gallery Banbridge, Atypical Gallery Belfast, West Cork Arts Centre Skibbereen, Farmleigh House Dublin, Galway Arts Centre and Crawford Gallery Cork. Declan features alongside his KCAT colleagues in the documentary Living Colour (2011) by Wildfire Films. His work is also featured in several publications, including The Engagement Project KCAT 2014-2020(2020), Art & Inclusion: The Story of KCAT (2009), Works on Paper (2008) IWTK (2015) and the retrospective catalogue Declan Byrne (2021). He also has work in the Irish National Collection at the Crawford Gallery Cork.

See the What's On Section of our website for details.

KCAT Arts Centre

18/09/2026

The Water Boys has been programmed at the Irish Film Institute as part of Culture Night 2026, FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER, 18:10.

Two short films explore the experience of people with intellectual and physical disabilities as they find love and friendship, including the KCAT film, The Water Boys, featuring Equinox’s Jim Rohan and Gary Comerford.

In The Water Boys, Jim and Gary have served as the water boys for their local hurling team, Carrickshock Kilkenny, for over 40 years. Both men have cerebral palsy, but they do not allow their condition to stand in the way of their participation in the hurling team that both their fathers played for. This sensitive and charming documentary explores the daily routines of both men and their unbreakable commitment to their team and their community.

Directed by Shane O’Reilly, 25 mins, 2023

Tickets can be collected from Irish Film Institute Box Office, booked online (€1 booking fee), or by phone (01 679 5744)

https://ifi.ie/film/ifi-culture-night-2026-love-friendship

Image: Jim Rohan in The Water Boys

film

14/08/2026

KCAT Studio Artists were fired up for the Ceramic Decorating and Glazing Workshop this summer with Clare O’Reilly, supported by Age & Opportunity.

Select ceramic sculptures by KCAT Artists:
Image 1: Self portrait with Bird by Sinead Fahey
Image 2: Ceramic portrait by Fergus Fitzgerald
Image 3: Self portrait by Diana Chambers
Image 4: Ceramic portrait “Louise” by Fintin Kelly
Image 5: Ceramic Birds by Andrew Pike

KCAT acknowledges the support of Age & Opportunity , as well as The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and KCETB.

kcatartscentre

11/08/2026

Chambers’ fast and energetic style can be witnessed in a series of two painting demonstrations (August 11 & 13) in the exhibition gallery, inviting audiences to meet and interact with her in a relaxed environment.

Exhibition Artwork is for sale, starting at €50.

Allday & Everything: Diana Chambers
Retrospective Exhibition & Book Launch at Kilkenny Arts Festival

Curated by Kate Strain

August 7-21, 2026
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Painting demonstrations by Diana on August 11th and 13th from 10:30-12:30
Free admission

KCAT Arts Centre
Mill Lane
Callan, Co. Kilkenny
R95XN35

KCAT acknowledges the support of , , Kilkenny Arts Festival, , Leargas (funded by the European Union), HSE, Kilkenny LCDC and the Department of Rural and Community Development, The Department of Social Protection, which is funded by the Irish Government.

art

11/08/2026

Diana Chambers would paint “all day and everything” if she could. A hugely prolific studio artist, her tendency is to paint from existing, found and sourced images, filling blank canvases with colour, character and nuanced form, in abundance and on repeat. For Chambers, painting is a daily practice of attention, a form of exchange, and a way of moving through the world.

This immersive retrospective exhibition at Kilkenny Arts Festival highlights and celebrates Kilkenny-based artist Diana Chambers who has been a practicing artist at KCAT since its inception and remains a member of KCAT’s professional studio for over a decade. Featuring seamless floor to ceiling wallpapering of her expressionistic works across the gallery, the dynamic walls filled of works of acrylic on paper will change throughout the exhibition. As works are sold, they will be replaced by new ones. A new publication of Chambers’ works will also be for sale.

Chambers’ fast and energetic style can be witnessed in a series of two painting demonstrations (August 11 & 13) in the exhibition gallery, inviting audiences to meet and interact with her in a relaxed environment.

Exhibition Artwork is for sale, starting at €50.

Allday & Everything: Diana Chambers
Retrospective Exhibition & Book Launch at Kilkenny Arts Festival

Curated by Kate Strain

August 6-21, 2026
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Painting demonstrations by Diana on August 11th and 13th from 10:30am -12:30pm
Free admission

KCAT Arts Centre
Mill Lane
Callan, Co. Kilkenny
R95XN35

Video by

KCAT acknowledges the support of , , , , Leargas (funded by the European Union), HSE, Kilkenny LCDC and the Department of Rural and Community Development, The Department of Social Protection, which is funded by the Irish Government.

art

07/08/2026

Diana Chambers would paint “all day and everything” if she could. A hugely prolific studio artist, her tendency is to paint from existing, found and sourced images, filling blank canvases with colour, character and nuanced form, in abundance and on repeat. For Chambers, painting is a daily practice of attention, a form of exchange, and a way of moving through the world.

This immersive retrospective exhibition at Kilkenny Arts Festival highlights and celebrates Kilkenny-based artist Diana Chambers who has been a practicing artist at KCAT since its inception and remains a member of KCAT’s professional studio for over a decade. Featuring seamless floor to ceiling wallpapering of her expressionistic works across the gallery, the dynamic walls filled of works of acrylic on paper will change throughout the exhibition. As works are sold, they will be replaced by new ones daily. A new publication of Chambers’ works will also be for sale.

Chambers’ fast and energetic style can be witnessed in a series of two painting demonstrations (August 11 & 13) in the exhibition gallery, inviting audiences to meet and interact with her in a relaxed environment.

Exhibition Artwork is for sale, starting at €50.

Allday & Everything: Diana Chambers
Retrospective Exhibition & Book Launch at Kilkenny Arts Festival

Curated by Kate Strain

August 7-21, 2026
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Painting demonstrations by Diana on August 11th and 13th from 10:30-12:30
Free admission

KCAT Arts Centre
Mill Lane
Callan, Co. Kilkenny
R95XN35

Image: Diana Chambers, A Greek Party, Acrylic on Board, 122 x 125 cm, 2016.

KCAT acknowledges the support of Creative Ireland Ireland, Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny Arts Festival, The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon , Leargas (funded by the European Union), HSE, Kilkenny LCDC and the Department of Rural and Community Development, The Department of Social Protection, which is funded by the Irish Government.

05/08/2026

Allday & Everything: Diana Chambers Retrospective Exhibition & Book Launch at Kilkenny Arts Festival.
Curated by Kate Strain

Opening Thursday, August 6 at 3pm
August 7-21, 2026
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Painting demonstrations by Diana on August 11th and 13th from 10:30-12:30
Free admission

KCAT Arts Centre
Mill Lane
Callan, Co. Kilkenny
R95XN35

Diana Chambers would paint “all day and everything” if she could. A hugely prolific studio artist, her tendency is to paint from existing, found and sourced images, filling blank canvases with colour, character and nuanced form, in abundance and on repeat. For Chambers, painting is a daily practice of attention, a form of exchange, and a way of moving through the world.

This immersive retrospective exhibition at Kilkenny Arts Festival highlights and celebrates Kilkenny-based artist Diana Chambers who has been a practicing artist at KCAT since its inception and remains a member of KCAT’s professional studio for over a decade. Featuring seamless floor to ceiling wallpapering of her expressionistic works across the gallery, the dynamic walls filled of works of acrylic on paper will change throughout the exhibition. As works are sold, they will be replaced by new ones daily. A new publication of Chambers’ works will also be for sale.

Chambers’ fast and energetic style can be witnessed in a series of two painting demonstrations (August 11 & 13) in the exhibition gallery, inviting audiences to meet and interact with her in a relaxed environment.

Exhibition Artwork is for sale, starting at €50.

Image: Diana Chambers, A Greek Party, Acrylic on Board, 122 x 125 cm, 2016.

KCAT acknowledges the support of Creative Ireland, Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny Arts Festival, The Arts Council, Leargas (funded by the European Union), HSE, Kilkenny LCDC and the Department of Rural and Community Development, The Department of Social Protection, which is funded by the Irish Government.

art

18/06/2026

All That Colour
Sinéad Fahey, Lucy McKenna, Declan Byrne, Jane Fogarty

A Curators Steps Exhibition at KCAT
Curated by Sinéad Fahey and Declan Byrne

19 June - 10 July 2026
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Opening June 19th, 2 - 4pm

During the Curators Steps Project, artists from KCAT have curated an exhibition featuring their own work and the work of peers from around Ireland whose work they connect with. For the exhibition, ‘All That Colour’, KCAT artist Sinéad Fahey has invited Lucy McKenna and KCAT artist Declan Byrne has invited Jane Fogarty. During the project, Sinéad and Declan have researched artists, undertaken studio visits, selected and installed work and contributed to publicity materials.

The exhibition title ‘All That Colour’ reflects the central importance of colour within the work of each artist.

Image 1: Declan Byrne, Coffee Pot, Encrusted coffee pot, 2025.

Image 2: Sinead Fahey

Image 3: Declan Byrne

Visual descriptions:
1. Coffee pot covered in colourful acrylic cubes
2. Black and white headshot of Sinead Fahey, smiling and wearing a hoodie
3. Black and white headshot of Declan Byrne, wearing glasses and a zippered sweater.

KCAT acknowledges the support of funders including The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon , Léargas (funded by the EU), HSEIreland. KCAT is a part of CCoI



KCAT Art Centre, Mill Lane, Callan, Co. Kilkenny, R95 XN35

28/05/2026