Mythologies of the Personal and the Land, Westmeath Artists Award Talk

Luan Gallery, in collaboration with Westmeath Arts Office, is pleased to host a Westmeath Artists Award Talk on Saturday 17 January at 2 pm. The event is free and open to all, and will be of particular interest to members of the visual arts community in County Westmeath.

The talk will feature a discussion between Miguel Amado, guest selector for the 2025 Westmeath Artists Award and curator of the exhibition Mythologies of the Personal and the Land; Nicola Gilchrest, Westmeath Arts Officer; and Carmel Duffy, Manager of Luan Gallery. The panel will explore the aims and significance of the award, the selection process, and guidelines for artists considering submitting to the 2026 award. Audience participation will be encouraged.

Following the panel discussion, Celine Sheridan, winner of the 2025 Westmeath Artists Award, will join Miguel Amado in conversation about her award-winning practice. Sheridan’s work is currently on display at Luan Gallery as part of the exhibition Mythologies of the Personal and the Land.

The Westmeath Artists Award is an annual collaboration between Luan Gallery and Westmeath Arts Office, supported by funding from the Arts Council of Ireland. The award aims to celebrate, showcase, and support the professional development of visual artists living in or from County Westmeath.

The current exhibition presents work by professional visual artists selected by guest curator Miguel Amado, Director of Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, County Cork. All exhibiting artists were considered for a professional development award, which was announced at the exhibition opening. The 2025 award recipient, Celine Sheridan, received the Luan Gallery Visual Arts Development Award valued at €1,500, along with additional supports including a future solo exhibition at Luan Gallery, a studio residency at Abbey Road Artists’ Studios with a materials stipend, mentorship, and a studio visit from the guest curator.

Works by thirty artists are included in the exhibition, several of whom are exhibiting at Luan Gallery for the first time. The exhibition highlights the diversity and quality of visual arts practice in the county and includes painting, mixed media, print, sculpture, video, photography, and installation. Exhibiting artists are: Caroline Coyle, Martina Coyle, Teresa Doyle, Bertille de Lestrade, Mark Duffy, Helen Duncan, Lorraine Dunne, Mariia Golubeva, Tina Hayes, Lelia Henry, Liz Johnson, Fiona Kelly, Orla Kelly, Hilary Kinahan, Garry Loughlin, Ursula Meehan, Lorraine Mimnagh, Aishling Muller, Joan Mulvihill, Emma O’Brien, Valeriia Polushko, EL Putnam, Catherine Rock, Paul Roy, Mimi Seery, Nóilín Shaw, Celine Sheridan, Annette Treacy, Ann Wingfield and Lesley Wingfield.

The exhibition continues until Monday 2 February 2025.