Butler Gallery

Butler Gallery Butler Gallery is an art gallery & heritage site in Kilkenny, funded by The Arts Council. Registered Charity No 20038977. CHY 12922
(1)

Butler Gallery actively promotes and affirms the value of the arts to society through a diverse programme of contemporary exhibitions, which reflects the constantly changing nature of visual art practice. The Gallery has a significant permanent collection, which is maintained and safeguarded for the future. Butler Gallery has also developed a significant programme of innovative education projects

encouraging the participation of diverse audiences in the activities of Butler Gallery, including family, school, youth, adult and older age programmes. These opportunities encourage meaningful public engagement and contribute to the development of an audience of diverse age groups, backgrounds and abilities. In 2008 Butler Gallery was awarded Full Museum Accreditation in 2008 from The Heritage Council of Ireland’s Museum Accreditation Scheme for excellence in Caring for Collections, Museum Management, and Exhibition, Education and Visitor Services.

Here's what's on this June at Butler Gallery!👇Events:1st - 28th - 'The Borderline Project' Art Caravan by Shiro Masuyama...
02/06/2026

Here's what's on this June at Butler Gallery!👇

Events:
1st - 28th - 'The Borderline Project' Art Caravan by Shiro Masuyama (Thursdays 1.00pm - 8.00pm (Late Night); Fridays to Sundays, including June Bank Holiday Monday, 1.00pm - 5.00pm)
4th June - 3rd July - Creative Spaces 5 Week Programme with Rachel Burke (Thursday Evenings & Friday Mornings)
6th - Cruinniú na nÓg: Gather to Welcome The Guardian (Saturday 2.00pm - 4.00pm)
25th - Artist Talk with David Stephenson (Thursday 6.00pm - 7.00pm)

Exhibition - 'Meantime', David Stephenson.
Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephenson with a selection of poetry by Mark Granier. The central theme of 'Meantime' is transience and the spirit of passing, life’s marginality.

Full details can be found on our 'What's On' webpage.

Keep up to date with our newsletter to see new events, sign up on our website!

Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephe...
01/06/2026

Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephenson with a selection of poetry by Mark Granier. The central theme of 'Meantime' is transience and the spirit of passing, life’s marginality.

Learn more about this exhibition on our website.

David Stephenson GPO Museum

Celebrate Cruinniu na nOg at Butler Gallery next Saturday 6th June!GATHER to welcome The Guardian! 🔸Live Performance 2.0...
31/05/2026

Celebrate Cruinniu na nOg at Butler Gallery next Saturday 6th June!
GATHER to welcome The Guardian!
🔸Live Performance 2.00pm - 3.00pm
🔸Workshops and Exhibition 12.00pm - 4.00pm
🔸Free, drop-in event.

Butler Gallery's Learning Centre & Gardens

Join us for a public storytelling project led by Trickster: GATHER to welcome The Guardian! Created in collaboration with children from St. John’s National School and imagined by Trickster, this special project brings to life the Resident Guardian of this place: a spirit shaped by local voices, imagination, and memory.

🔸Live Promenade Performance: Join us for a very special story parade in the grounds of Butler Gallery from 2-3pm with Trickster.

🔸Children’s Exhibition: See work created by the children of St John’s National School in story and character development 12 - 4pm in the Learning Centre.

🔸Drop in workshops in our Learning Centre - 12-4pm- create your own mark in response to the work on display.

See info:
https://www.butlergallery.ie/whats-on/cruinniu-na-nog-2026

CreativeIrl Creative Kilkenny Kilkenny County Council Monkeyshine Theatre

Shiro Masuyama will be our Garden Studio Resident Artist for the month of June.Starting this Bank Holiday Monday from 1p...
30/05/2026

Shiro Masuyama will be our Garden Studio Resident Artist for the month of June.
Starting this Bank Holiday Monday from 1pm-5pm!

Drop-in to see Shiro Masuyama's practice at the Garden Studio on Tuesdays and at his Borderline Project Art Caravan onsite this Bank Holiday Monday and on Thursdays to Sundays throughout June.

The Borderline Project Art Caravan will be onsite:
Thursdays 13:00-20:00 (Late Night)
Fridays to Sundays, including Bank Holiday Monday, 13:00-17:00 in June

Shiro Masuyama is a socially-engaged artist whose work encompasses performances, sculpture, installations, photography, and video. As part of his residency, Shiro Masuyama will present his mobile art caravan as an interactive, participatory artwork. The caravan will operate as a welcoming, informal space where members of the public can meet the artist, engage in conversation, and contribute to his ongoing Borderline project, which explores themes of identity, migration and belonging.

The Borderline Project has been presented at public institutions across Ireland and the UK, including Ebrington Square (2013), The MAC (2013), The Lyric Theatre (2014), The Model Sligo (2014), Siamsa Tíre (2019), Make North Docks Liverpool (2025), Rua Red Dublin (2025), Artlink Fort Dunree (2025), and the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University Belfast (2025).

Photo credit: Fenia Kotsopoulou

See our website for further details.
Shiro Masuyama

Cruinniú na nÓg Artists-in-Schools Residency Update!This week, the children of St. John's National School stepped deeper...
28/05/2026

Cruinniú na nÓg Artists-in-Schools Residency Update!

This week, the children of St. John's National School stepped deeper into the living world. They built the landscape their Guardian calls home and then they became part of it. Embodying creatures of the natural world, they imagined what it feels like to root, to fly, to flow. Together they wove the beginnings of a story, asking how their characters might meet, what problems they might face, and how the Guardian might help them find their way.

Join us on Cruinniú na nÓg for a live promenade performance with Trickster in the grounds of Butler Gallery on Saturday 6th June!

🔸Live Promenade Performance: Join us for a very special story parade in the grounds of Butler Gallery from 2-3pm with Trickster.

🔸Children’s Exhibition: See work created by the children of St John’s National School in story and character development 12 - 4pm in the Learning Centre.

🔸Drop in workshops in our Learning Centre - throughout the day - create your own mark in response to the work on display.

Over the month of May, Trickster are working with children from St John's NS on story and character development to uncover the resident Guardian of this place. GATHER to welcome the Guardian that has taken shape as part of this special collaboration.

See info:
https://www.butlergallery.ie/whats-on/cruinniu-na-nog-2026
📷 Freddie Greenall
CreativeIrl Creative Kilkenny Kilkenny County Council Monkeyshine Theatre

25/05/2026

Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephenson with a selection of poetry by Mark Granier. The central theme of 'Meantime' is transience and the spirit of passing, life’s marginality.

Learn more about this exhibition on our website.

David Stephenson GPO Museum

Thank you to all who attended the opening of our latest exhibition, 'Meantime' by David Stephenson!Butler Gallery is ple...
23/05/2026

Thank you to all who attended the opening of our latest exhibition, 'Meantime' by David Stephenson!

Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephenson with a selection of poetry by Mark Granier. The central theme of 'Meantime' is transience and the spirit of passing, life’s marginality.

Learn more about this exhibition on our website.

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Orla Kelly.  The staff and board of Butler Gallery send ...
22/05/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Orla Kelly. The staff and board of Butler Gallery send our deepest condolences to Blaise, Freagh, and Morgan and to Garret and all the Kelly and Smith family on the untimely death of their beloved Orla. Taken from us way too soon. Orla was hugely creative and achieved much in her stellar design practice. The contributions she made in her political civic work were also important and far-reaching. We will never forget her sense of style and her joyful positive nature. She will be missed by many.

Children from St John's National School joined  the Trickster artists to imagine creatures and characters that belong to...
21/05/2026

Children from St John's National School joined the Trickster artists to imagine creatures and characters that belong to the living world. Inspired by the weather, water, soil, animals and deep time of their environment, the children drew pictures, gathered words, sang songs and embodied their own ideas creating a Guardian protector of the land that will come to life over the next few weeks.

This Cruinniú na nÓg join us for a live promenade performance with Trickster in the grounds of Butler Gallery on Saturday 6th June!

Over the month of May, Trickster are working with children from St John's NS on story and character development to uncover the resident Guardian of this place. GATHER to welcome the Guardian that has taken shape as part of this special collaboration.

See info:
https://www.butlergallery.ie/whats-on/cruinniu-na-nog-2026
📷 Freddie Greenall
CreativeIrl Creative Kilkenny Kilkenny County Council

📣Opening This Saturday! 'Meantime', David Stephenson. Saturday 23rd May, 3.00pm - 5.00pm. All Welcome.Butler Gallery is ...
20/05/2026

📣Opening This Saturday! 'Meantime', David Stephenson. Saturday 23rd May, 3.00pm - 5.00pm. All Welcome.

Butler Gallery is pleased to present 'Meantime', a mixed media exhibition combining photography and film by David Stephenson with a selection of poetry by Mark Granier. The central theme of 'Meantime' is transience and the spirit of passing, life’s marginality.

Learn more about this exhibition on our website.

David Stephenson GPO Museum

Address

Butler Gallery, Evans’ Home, John’s Quay
Kilkenny
R95YX3F

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

00 353 56 7761106

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Butler Gallery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Butler Gallery:

Share

Category