Summer Workshops

Sunshine over BCA

2025 Programme overview

 

When time seems to simply shrink, with days and weeks flying by in the blink on an eye, taking some time to do the things you like sounds so appealing. When we are all so wrapped up in our daily rush and routine, it is no wonder that finding that special place to pause, breathe and recharge is so important. The Burren has been that place for many people and that’s one of the reasons Burren College of Art came to being here – offering space, time and inspiration to artists from all over the world.

And so, if you are an artist or only finding your artist’ voice, we invite you – through Seamus Heaney’s words – to “…make the time to drive out West…” and (re)ignite your creativity and talent. Gift yourself (and others) a week of painting, drawing or printmaking surrounded by like-minded people and guided by experienced tutors in bright professional studio spaces.

The 2025 summer workshop programme is packed with interesting offerings: from learning the basics of oil painting or how to use your eyes to abstract and landscape painting, bookmaking, mixing media, botanical drawing or simply Walking, painting and taking inspiration from the Burren.

Conor McGrady, Trudi van der Elsen, Ida Mitrani, Eilis Murphy, prof. Timothy Emlyn Jones and Tiffani Love – your guides on this artistic journey – are all experienced, generous and patient tutors, but also well-established artists with their own strong practices.

The time frame is ideal: two weeks in August, so choose whichever suits you best and come prepared to let your artistic hair down, to learn and to explore your creative side. We will be delighted to welcome you on campus as well as in our self-catering college housing, just be mindful that accommodation is very limited here, as well as in the nearby village of Ballyvaughan.

Plenty of food for thought! As for the actual food – our café on campus will take care of that, by tempting you to nourishing soups, salads and hot lunches, not to mention Martina’s scrumptious brownies.

We look forward to welcoming here and if you have any questions in the meantime, please send an email to julia@burrencollege.ie.

Oh, let’s not forget the actual gifts! As Christmas is just around the corner, a voucher might be the perfect gift for the artist(s) in your family or your best friend.

 

 

 

“Best gift I ever bought for myself. I can’t think of a better way to spend a week in a place that makes it easy to leave the world behind. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough”.

Ursula Meany, 2022 summer workshop participant

 

“As soon as you make your way up the drive of Burren College of Art, you know you’ve arrived somewhere magical. The five day workshop I signed up to was really inspirational and, like a truly great educator, our instructor drew out of us what was there awaiting to be expressed. I highly recommend this beautiful place. I’ll be back!”

Fiona Flinn, 2023 summer workshop participant

Accommodation

Our self-catering college accommodation offers 11 rooms in the Lodge, four bedrooms in the adjacent Daisy Cottage and six bedrooms in Newtown House located right on campus. Single occupancy is charged at €48 per night. Please inquire separately for twin or double occupancy.

The Lodge is set on extensive grounds with inspiring views of the Burren and is a pleasant 10 minute walk from the College and 35 minutes from Ballyvaughan village. The bedrooms are bright and well appointed. Communal areas include a large living room with an open fire, dining room, TV area, well-equipped kitchen, laundry and public washrooms. A patio area with chimney is an ideal outdoor summer gathering space. The Lodge has WiFi throughout and has wheelchair accessible rooms available.
Daisy Cottage is adjacent to the Lodge and has 2 en suite double bedrooms and 2 single rooms with a shared full bathroom. The house also has a spacious communal area and cozy sitting room, along with a fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities.

Newtown House is located right on campus for those who prefer to work longer in their studios. The house is cozy and comfortable, with six bedrooms – some ensuite and some sharing a bathroom – a modern kitchen and unique dining / seating area.

Cancellation Policy

All tuition and fees are due at least 4 weeks before the start of the programme. The Burren College of Art accepts no obligation to refund any fee or part of after this date.