What are the opening hours?

Wednesday 11am - 5pm Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 11am - 5pm

Sirius Arts Centre

Home
Ireland
Cobh
Sirius Arts Centre

We do not respond to Facebook messages. Please email [email protected] for enquiries. Sirius Arts Centre is a venue in Cobh, County Cork.

Sirius Arts Centre facilitates the production and presentation of, and public engagement with, art and knowledge. Sirius Arts Centre showcases all art forms – visual, performing, live, film, sound, vocal, written, born-digital, and beyond – through a mix of exhibitions, screenings, performances, concerts, panel discussions, learning and outreach activities, digital broadcasts, and publications. Sirius Arts Centre is part of Cork County’s and wider Irish art infrastructure.

02/09/2026

Exhibition – Leanne McDonagh: Community & Connection

Leanne McDonagh is an Irish artist from the Traveller community based in Cork County. She records her community’s life and heritage from an insider perspective, subtly yet vividly capturing its circumstances and experiences. McDonagh’s images portray family meetings, celebrations, scenes of labour and trade, domestic interiors and activities, and public gatherings. They emphasise both the distinct characteristics of Traveller culture and universal aspects of social relations. Community & Connection constitutes the most comprehensive presentation of McDonagh’s work to date. It features a newly commissioned series of screenprints alongside a broad selection of photographs made since 2011.

Ellen O’Connor, Tour Curatorial Associate, comments: “The series Accommodate vs Assimilate responds to the ongoing housing crisis the Traveller community faces. It was prompted by the Carrickmines fire tragedy in 2015, which deeply affected Traveller families, and exposed long-standing safety problems in Traveller accommodation. The works examine the devastating consequences of decades of restrictive state policies and unfulfilled commitments by the Irish government. It also shows the resilience of the Traveller community despite generations of neglect.”

This exhibition is organised by SIRIUS and curated by SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado. Its presentation is part of a tour including SIRIUS, Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, and Limerick City Gallery of Art, produced by Rayne Booth. The exhibition and the tour are supported by the Arts Council through the Project Award and the Touring of Work Scheme.

📸: John Beasley

Image description: Installation view of photographs on a wall.

ie

point

29/08/2026

SIRIUS hosted members of Mór Artists Collective and staff from Greywood Arts as part of their professional development event series. SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado led a tour of Leanne McDonagh’s exhibition, Community & Connection, currently on view. He also facilitated a broader discussion of artists’ production conditions and capacity, programming policies, and the relationship between curation and artmaking. We look forward to continuing to support artists in their reflections and skill enhancement efforts.

Image description: Members of Mór Artists Collective, staff from Greywood Arts and SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado standing and kneeling on the SIRIUS balcony, facing the camera and smiling.

27/08/2026

Artist Basil Al-Raw is preparing the exhibition, Residual Anomalies, for presentation at SIRIUS, Solstice Arts Centre, The Dock, and Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, as part of a tour supported by the Arts Council through the Touring of Work Scheme. Basil, SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado, who is curating the exhibition, and producer Rayne Booth, with whom we regularly collaborate, are visiting the venues, including Solstice Arts Centre, to prepare these presentations. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Basil, Rayne, and our colleagues in each venue.

Image description: SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado and artist Basil Al-Rawi stand in front of Solstice Arts Centre, facing the camera.

Basil Al-Rawi

The Dock
Solstice Arts Centre
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

26/08/2026

Exhibition – Leanne McDonagh: Community & Connection

Leanne McDonagh is an Irish artist from the Traveller community based in Cork County. She records her community’s life and heritage from an insider perspective, subtly yet vividly capturing its circumstances and experiences. McDonagh’s images portray family meetings, celebrations, scenes of labour and trade, domestic interiors and activities, and public gatherings. They emphasise both the distinct characteristics of Traveller culture and universal aspects of social relations. Community & Connection constitutes the most comprehensive presentation of McDonagh’s work to date. It features a newly commissioned series of screenprints alongside a broad selection of photographs made since 2011.

SIRIUS Curatorial Intern Rósín Pavie comments: “The title of this work, Pavee Presence, derives from the traditional language of the Traveller community; pavee means “traveller.” The photograph was taken at a horse fair, a long-standing place for Travellers to gather. The photograph depicts two women with a vibrant and confident presence walking next to a stand. Bright flashes of neon expand across the image. The blurred figures evoke joy, happiness, and confidence in an ethereal exploration of identity. The work captures the atmospheric qualities of the moment as experienced by both artist and subject.”

This exhibition is organised by SIRIUS and curated by SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado. Its presentation is part of a tour including SIRIUS, Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, and Limerick City Gallery of Art, produced by Rayne Booth. The exhibition and the tour are supported by the Arts Council through the Project Award and the Touring of Work Scheme.

📸: John Beasley

Image description: 1. Installation view of a photograph on a wall.

Leanne McDonagh

Megan Ní Dhrisceóil

John Beasley Photography
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre
Limerick City Gallery Of Art
Pavee Point
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

25/08/2026

Community Employment position available

We are offering a part-time Gallery Assistant role through Great Island Projects, our long-standing Community Employment partner.
The Gallery Assistant role involves front-of-house duties such as general public communication; various administrative duties; assistance in programme delivery such as exhibition set up and event facilitation; and support in facilities maintenance.

This opportunityis possible under the Department of Social Protection’s Community Employment scheme. Eligibility to participate in the Community Employment scheme is linked to those 21 years or over and receiving a qualifying welfare payment for one year or more (exceptions apply for certain disadvantaged groups).

To apply, copy and paste this link into your browser: https://jobsireland.ie/en-US/job-Details?id=2465793.
Reference number: CES2465793.

The closing date for applications is 29 September.

22/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Summer Art Club, delivered by artists Fabiana Scalioni and Kate McElroy. During the week, they led participants in exploring their surroundings in SIRIUS, Cobh, and beyond, drawing on nature, the elements, Summer, and Irish folklore. With their guidance, participants explored mediums such as paint and clay, as well as delved into storytelling and colour theory, to create their works. We look forward to continuing to offer activities that foster creativity and making.

Image description: 1-5. Artist Fabiana Scaglioni, artist Kate McElroy, and SIRIUS Summer Art Club participants paint and learn various art techniques.

Fabiana Scaglioni
Kate Mcelroy
Megan Ní Dhrisceóil

Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

21/08/2026

It is wonderful to welcome artist Elinor O’Donovan to SIRIUS. Elinor is finalising her research and preparations for her solo show, Róisín, at the Lord Mayor's Pavilion in Cork City, organised by Sample-Studios as part of the joint residency offered by Sample-Studios, Spike Island and SIRIUS. In the context of this scheme, SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado has been working with Elinor on this project, supporting the development and delivery of the exhibition. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with Elinor.

Image description: Artist Elinor O’Donovan and SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado stand in the SIRIUS balcony, facing the camera.

Dorota Gubbins
Megan Ní Dhrisceóil
Sample-Studios
Spike Island Cork
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

20/08/2026

SIRIUS congratulates artist Alice Rekab on the opening of Dream Inheritances at Chapter in Cardiff, Wales. Dream Inheritances is Alice’s joint exhibition with artist Sophie Mak-Schram, exploring themes of ethnicity, belonging and displacement, and shared narratives of Wales and Ireland. As Alice puts it, both artists are “tracing connections between two Celtic nations shaped by colonisation, migration, communities in port cities, and the ‘mixedness’ those histories have engendered.” We are happy to support Alice in presenting their work in Dream Inheritances, continuing our regular and ongoing collaboration, and wish them, Sophie, and the Chapter’s team all the best for the exhibition’s run.

Image description: A screenshot of Chapter's website depicting overlapping images of buildings and materials, with the words 'Chapter, Sophie Mak-Schram and Alice Rekab, Dream Inheritances'.

Alice Lucy Rekab

MODA
Chapter Gallery
Chapter Arts Centre
Culture Ireland
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon
Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru

19/08/2026

Exhibition – Leanne McDonagh: Community & Connection

Leanne McDonagh is an Irish artist from the Traveller community based in Cork County. She records her community’s life and heritage from an insider perspective, subtly yet vividly capturing its circumstances and experiences. McDonagh’s images portray family meetings, celebrations, scenes of labour and trade, domestic interiors and activities, and public gatherings. They emphasise both the distinct characteristics of Traveller culture and universal aspects of social relations. Community & Connection constitutes the most comprehensive presentation of McDonagh’s work to date. It features a newly commissioned series of screenprints alongside a broad selection of photographs made since 2011.

SIRIUS Curatorial Intern Róisín Pavie comments: “McDonagh’s works tend to be luminous, with soft hues. In some instances, she highlights certain aspects with hand-drawn marking, layering narrative. She expands this methodology through screenprinting, which enables the juxtaposition of various photographs to mix details and enhance tonalities. The work is often organised in series that explore a theme or concern – for instance her community’s spirit of togetherness, or their complex accommodation.”

This exhibition is organised by SIRIUS and curated by SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado. Its presentation is part of a tour including SIRIUS, Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, and Limerick City Gallery of Art, produced by Rayne Booth. The exhibition and the tour are supported by the Arts Council through the Project Award and the Touring of Work Scheme.

📸: John Beasley

Image description: Installation view of photographs on walls and the entrance to a SIRIUS gallery.

Leanne McDonagh

Megan Ní Dhrisceóil

John Beasley Photography
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre
Limerick City Gallery Of Art
Pavee Point
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

15/08/2026

The preparation of artist Basil Al-Rawi’s exhibition, Residual Anomalies, curated by SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado, is underway. Alongside producer Rayne Booth, with whom we regularly collaborate, they are visiting venues such as The Dock to consider the display, logistics, communication, and public engagement. This presentation is part of a tour including SIRIUS, Solstice Arts Centre, The Dock, and Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, supported by the Arts Council through the Touring of Work Scheme. We look forward to continuing this collaboration with Basil, Rayne, and our colleagues across the venues.

Image description: SIRIUS Director Miguel Amado, producer Rayne Booth, and artist Basil Al-Rawi stand in front of The Dock, facing the camera.

Megan Ní Dhrisceóil
The Dock
Solstice Arts Centre
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre
Cork County Council
The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Address

The Old Yacht Club, Westbourne Place
Cobh
P24F209

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm

Website

http://www.siriusartscentre.ie/, https://www.instagram.com/siriusartscentre/, https://linktr.ee/siriusartscentre

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sirius Arts Centre 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 Sirius Arts Centre:

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Cobh?