Luan Gallery is delighted to present Garden to Gallery Couture, an exhibition of photography by Westmeath photographer Chris Burke.
The exhibition will be launched on Friday 1st August at 4:30pm, with performances by members of Athlone Youth Orchestra & Féile na Sionainne. The exhibition launch will take place on the first day of the Athlone River Festival and the Féile na Sionainne Festival. All are welcome to attend. The exhibition will continue until Sunday 10th August.
This year, Athlone Castle and Luan Gallery collaborated on the Garden to Gallery Couture project for Cruinniú na nÓg, the National Day of free creativity for children. Children and young people were invited to take part in an exciting creative experience that blended fashion, sustainability, and art. The Garden to Gallery Couture project offered participants the opportunity to design and make their own costume, model it in a fashion show at Athlone Castle, and have their work professionally photographed and exhibited at Luan Gallery.
This project began with costume-making workshops for local children focused on sustainability and recycling. The costumes were inspired by wildflowers, native plants, and herbs found in the Historical Garden in the upper battlements of Athlone Castle. Abbey Road Artist Studio resident artists, Niamh Butler and Aoife Doolan, facilitated these workshops, with assistance from Transition Year students from Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone, who were involved in Junk Kouture.
The children who participated in the workshops then showcased their designs during the Cruinniú na nÓg fashion show on Saturday 7th June, in the Athlone Castle Courtyard. The event also featured live performances by talented local youth musicians from Féile na Sionainne, and John McGlynn, Manager of The Deane Crowe Theatre, served as Compere and Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon’s festivities.
Garden to Gallery Couture is a Cruinniú na nÓg collaboration between Athlone Castle and Luan Gallery and is presented with support from Creative Ireland and Westmeath County Council.
Further information can be found on Luan Gallery’s social channels; Instagram: @luangalleryathlone and Facebook: @luangallery, and Athlone Castle’s social channels; Instagram: @athlonecastle and Facebook: @athlonecastle.
Admission to the gallery is free for groups and individuals. Tours for schools and groups can be arranged by contacting the gallery in advance on 090 6442154. Luan Gallery is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday from 11am – 5pm and Sundays from 12 – 5pm.
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Visit our 13th century castle and experience history brought alive…
Athlone Castle was first built to defend the crossing point on the River Shannon and evolved into a bold defensive structure over the centuries. Elements of the original castle can still be seen today.
We tell the story of settlement in this part of Ireland’s Ancient East, from the Neolithic period through Viking, and Medieval ages to modern life in Athlone.