Luan Gallery

Luan Gallery Welcome to Luan Gallery's Official page. Peter and St. Paul.

Award-winning Municipal Visual Art Gallery located in Athlone, the heart of Ireland, on the banks of the River Shannon. As the Municipal art gallery and hub of visual arts activity in County Westmeath, Luan Gallery plays a vital role regionally and nationally by presenting a wide range of art exhibitions, outreach programmes and installations. It is the first purpose-built municipal visual art gal

lery located in the midlands, opening in November 2012 and represents a significant development for the arts in Ireland. A total of €3.4 million was invested in the development of the gallery by the Border Midland and Western Regional Assembly, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Athlone Town Council. The 575 M2 gallery was designed by Keith Williams Architects who also designed the National Opera House in Wexford and the Chichester Novium Museum. The gallery is located on an impressive site overlooking the River Shannon, adjacent to the town’s historic bridge, Athlone Castle and the Catholic Church of St. The space adapts the town’s historic 1897 Father Mathew Hall into a new gallery, adding a new wing with state-of-the-art audio visual capabilities and a riverfront gallery overlooking the Shannon. The gallery promotes a dynamic contemporary visual art programme of both established and emerging artists from home and abroad and aims to place visual artists at the heart of its activity. It offers visitors a unique cultural tourism experience for the community and visitors to Athlone and beyond. Abbey Road Artists’ Studios - The Studios offer a dedicated space in Athlone town for local and visiting artists. It consists of four individual artists’ studios as well as a large multi-purpose upstairs space that hosts a variety of community cultural events including exhibitions, performances, workshops and seminars.

In Conversation Event at Luan Gallery with exhibiting artist, Samir Mahmood📅Saturday 22nd August ⏰ 2pm🎟️ Free event, no ...
04/08/2026

In Conversation Event at Luan Gallery with exhibiting artist, Samir Mahmood
📅Saturday 22nd August
⏰ 2pm
🎟️ Free event, no booking required

Join exhibiting artist Samir Mahmood in conversation with Luan Gallery Curator Aoife Banks. Moving through Mahmood’s solo exhibition States, Stations, the conversation will explore the ideas, materials and processes that inform his practice, offering insight into the exhibition’s conceptual framework and the relationships between the individual works. Together, artist and curator will consider themes of perception, consciousness, materiality and embodied experience.

This event is free to attend and suitable for all ages. No booking is required. This event is supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Westmeath Arts Visit Westmeath Westmeath County Council athlone.ie

Thank you to everyone who participated in Threads of Place. Over the bank holiday weekend the Community Exhibition showc...
04/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who participated in Threads of Place. Over the bank holiday weekend the Community Exhibition showcased work created by participants. Through a series of artist-led drawing events and accompanying talks focusing on local history, this project invited people of all ages from local communities to explore Athlone's rich cultural and historical heritage through creative practice. The resulting exhibition brought together these diverse responses, offering a collective portrait of place shaped through observation, memory and shared experience.

At its core, Threads of Place aimed to widen access to the visual arts as well as local heritage, support inclusive participation, and foster social connection, learning, and well-being through shared creative activity.
Threads of Place is a creative collaboration between Athlone Castle Visitor Centre, Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists' Studios supported by Westmeath Arts Office and Creative Ireland 2026 Community Grant.

📷Artworks created at the various Threads of Place drawing events

Threads of Place Community Exhibition
📅 1st - 2nd August 2026
⏰ Open: Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun 12pm - 5pm
📍 Luan Gallery Boardwalk Gallery & Abbey Road Artists’ Studios
Free Admission



𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒂: 𝑭𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 2026, Moving imageAmanda Ralph This moving image installation shifts between filmed footage a...
29/07/2026

𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒂: 𝑭𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 2026, Moving image
Amanda Ralph

This moving image installation shifts between filmed footage and digitally reconstructed environments. A recurring human figure traverses house, field and bog, connecting acts of listening, recording and navigation with the embodied experience of inhabiting the landscape. Rather than occupying the position of detached observer or scientific authority, she remains embedded within the terrain she seeks to understand, exposed to changing environmental conditions, reliant upon technologies of measurement and continually negotiating the limits of observation itself.

Field Station: Cornafulla
📅 Runs until Sunday 30th August, 2026
⏰ Open: Tues- Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun | 12pm – 5pm
📍Location: Luan Gallery
Free Admission

Supported by

.ie

𝑰𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒖𝒔, 2026, Canvas, chiffon, polyester, acrylic, gouache, wood, velvetSamir Mahmood Suspended at fixed points through...
26/07/2026

𝑰𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒖𝒔, 2026, Canvas, chiffon, polyester, acrylic, gouache, wood, velvet
Samir Mahmood

Suspended at fixed points throughout the gallery, 𝑰𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒎𝒖𝒔 comprises three textile thresholds that guide and gently disrupt movement through the installation. Borrowing its title from the anatomical term for a narrow passage connecting two larger structures, the work positions transition as a condition rather than simply a point of passage. As visitors move between and around these passageways, heightened awareness of proximity, orientation and touch transforms movement itself into an act of perception, echoing the movement between states and stations. The visual language of shrines and sites of devotion is evoked through layered textiles, ribbons, fringing and suspended adornments, recalling spaces of ritual offering and quiet contemplation. Rather than referencing a specific spiritual tradition these material accumulations suggest sites of passage and transformation.

States, Stations
📅 Runs until Sunday 30th August, 2026
⏰ Open: Tues- Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun | 12pm – 5pm
📍Location: Luan Gallery
Free Admission

Supported by

.ie

Details of our current solo exhibitions Field Station: Cornafulla by Amanda Ralph and States, Stations by Samir Mahmood....
21/07/2026

Details of our current solo exhibitions Field Station: Cornafulla by Amanda Ralph and States, Stations by Samir Mahmood.

Field Station: Cornafulla is a solo exhibition by Westmeath-based artist Amanda Ralph. Centred on Cornafulla Bog and the Shannon Callows, the exhibition brings the visible landscape into tension with what it contains: shifting ecological conditions, field records, measurement, and material evidence. Through moving image, sound, and sculpture, Ralph re-encounters the farm landscape without resolving it into a single authoritative image. Field Station: Cornafulla has been developed with support from the Accenture Digital Innovation in Art Bursary, awarded through Business to Arts. Supported by Accenture.

States, Stations is a solo exhibition of newly commissioned work by Pakistan-born, Dublin-based artist Samir Mahmood. Drawing on key Sufi mystical concepts, Mahmood explores q***r experience, identity, and transformation through textiles, sculpture, painting, and mixed media. Combining philosophical, political, and sensory inquiry, States, Stations considers how identity, power, and perception shape the ways we experience ourselves and the world around us, while reflecting on the intersections of spirituality, embodiment, and belonging.

📸
Installation view of Amanda Ralph’s ‘Field Station: Cornafulla’ (2026)
Amanda Ralph ‘Cornafulla: Field Station’ (2026)
Installation view of Samir Mahmood’s ‘States, Stations’ (2026)
Samir Mahmood ‘Isthmus’ (2026), ‘Foot to Crown’ (2026)

Field Station: Cornafulla | States, Stations
📅 Runs until Sunday 30th August, 2026
⏰ Open: Tues- Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun | 12pm – 5pm
📍Location: Luan Gallery

Supported by


Join us on 1st & 2nd August for 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙀𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ✨Threads of Place Community Exhibition showcases w...
18/07/2026

Join us on 1st & 2nd August for 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙀𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ✨

Threads of Place Community Exhibition showcases work created by participants of the Threads of Place community project. Through a series of artist-led drawing events and accompanying talks focusing on local history, this project invited people of all ages from local communities to explore Athlone's rich cultural and historical heritage through creative practice. The resulting exhibition brings together these diverse responses, offering a collective portrait of place shaped through observation, memory and shared experience.

At its core, Threads of Place aims to widen access to the visual arts as well as local heritage, support inclusive participation, and foster social connection, learning, and well-being through shared creative activity.
Threads of Place is a creative collaboration between Athlone Castle Visitor Centre, Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists' Studios supported by Westmeath Arts Office and Creative Ireland 2026 Community Grant.

📷Artworks created at the various Threads of Place drawing events

Threads of Place Community Exhibition
📅 1st - 2nd August 2026
⏰ Open: Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun 12pm - 5pm
📍 Luan Gallery Boardwalk Gallery & Abbey Road Artists’ Studios
Free Admission

Hilary Visit Westmeath Westmeath Libraries Westmeath County Council Westmeath Arts Creative Ireland

The sun was shining yesterday as local artists took part in the Threads of Place-Plein Air Event organised by Athlone Ca...
08/07/2026

The sun was shining yesterday as local artists took part in the Threads of Place-Plein Air Event organised by Athlone Castle Visitor Centre, Luan Gallery and Abbey Road Artists’ Studios.

We were delighted to welcome local history hero Gearoid O’Brien, who shared the fascinating history of Abbey Graveyard and Athlone Workhouse.
Throughout the day artists Hilary Kinahan and Andrea Cullen offered advice and support to the participants as they captured many different perspectives, angles, and attitudes of their surroundings.

Thank you to the facilitators and the artists who chose to spend their Saturday with us - we hope that you had as good of a day as we did! We can’t wait to show your work at our temporary exhibition during the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Also watch this space for a highlight reel from local videographer David Martin

This project is supported by Westmeath Arts Office and Creative Ireland 2026 Community Grant.

Westmeath County CouncilWestmeath Arts Creative Ireland Bronte Design

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Currents of Insight: Shannon Callows and Southern California Wetlands talk by Meg L...
05/07/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Currents of Insight: Shannon Callows and Southern California Wetlands talk by Meg Linton, presented in conjunction with Cornafulla: Field Station, solo exhibition by Amanda Ralph.

This public talk offered a unique exploration of artistic practices engaged with wetland and riparian ecologies. Linton explored how artists use interdisciplinary research to investigate nature, biodiversity, and human impact across distinct yet ecologically related contexts.

This event was supported by the Fulbright Commission in Ireland through the Fulbright Alumni Project Fund.

Field Station: Cornafulla
📅 Runs until Sunday 30th August, 2026
⏰ Open: Tues- Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun | 12pm – 5pm
📍Location: Luan Gallery

Curated by Aoife Banks

Supported by funding from

.ie

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening of our two solo exhibitions 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮 by Amanda Ralph and...
04/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening of our two solo exhibitions 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮 by Amanda Ralph and 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 by Samir Mahmood.

𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮 by Amanda Ralph is centered on Cornafulla Bog and the Shannon Callows. The exhibition brings the visible landscape into tension with what it contains: shifting ecological conditions, field records, measurement, and material evidence. Through moving image, sound and sculpture, Ralph re-encounters the farm landscape without resolving it into a single authoritative image. Field Station: Cornafulla has been developed with support from the Accenture Digital Innovation in Art Bursary, awarded through Business to Arts. Supported by Accenture.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 by Samir Mahmood draws on key concepts from Sufi mysticism to explore themes of identity, transformation, and q***r experience. Through newly commissioned textiles, sculpture, painting, and mixed-media works, the exhibition considers the intersections of spirituality, embodiment, and belonging.

Supported by: The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Field Station: Cornafulla | States, Stations
📅 Runs until Sunday 30th August, 2026
⏰ Open: Tues- Sat | 11am – 5pm and Sun | 12pm – 5pm
📍Location: Luan Gallery

Westmeath Arts

Currents of Insight: Shannon Callows and Southern California Wetlands Curators Talk📅 Saturday 4th July⏰ 2pm🎟️ Free event...
25/06/2026

Currents of Insight: Shannon Callows and Southern California Wetlands Curators Talk
📅 Saturday 4th July
⏰ 2pm
🎟️ Free event, no booking required

Join acclaimed curator Meg Linton for a talk presented in conjunction with Cornafulla: Field Station, solo exhibition by Amanda Ralph.
This public talk offers a unique exploration of artistic practices deeply engaged with wetland and riparian ecologies. Linton will explore how artists use interdisciplinary research to investigate nature, biodiversity, and human impact across distinct yet ecologically related contexts.

Drawing on her extensive experience working with artists engaged in environmental research, she will discuss how artistic practices can deepen our understanding of wetlands, biodiversity, and the complex interactions between human and natural systems. Linton will draw insightful parallels, using Fran Siegel’s work charting Southern California wetlands for the exhibition Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Oceann as a point of departure to discuss broader themes shared with Ralph's own Shannon Callows-focused work.
As a key curator for a previous Getty's PST ART initiative (2011) and a long-standing authority on the Southern California art scene, Linton offers unparalleled insight into artists researching the environment, including figures from the 2024 PST ART edition like The Harrisons, Carolina Caycedo, Lauren Bon, and David Bowen. This transatlantic exchange will foster rich cultural dialogue, highlight art's role in understanding ecological systems, and provide the Irish public with a leading international curatorial perspective.

Related public programme activity is supported by the Fulbright Commission in Ireland through the Fulbright Alumni Project Fund.

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Opening Hours

Tuesday 11:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 11:00 - 17:00
Thursday 11:00 - 17:00
Friday 11:00 - 17:00
Saturday 11:00 - 17:00
Sunday 12:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+353906442154

Website

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