Established in 2009, VISUAL is one of Ireland’s leading contemporary arts centres. Situated in the heart of Carlow in an architecturally stunning and award-winning building, VISUAL is a place where people, art and ideas meet to celebrate and think about the world that we share.
We present a year-round programme of work in our 330-seat theatre, named after George Bernard Shaw and up 15 to exhibitions per year in our iconic exhibition spaces, which are of a scale unique in Ireland.
Alongside the work we produce or present, we also curate a learning and engagement programme, working closely with local schools and within our local communities to provide free or affordable opportunities to access and participate in the arts.
Another key aspect of what we do is our developmental work with artists. We commission and support artists across all genres to create work of imagination and distinction, which is relevant locally and resonant nationally and internationally.
VISUAL is governed by a voluntary board of 14 people (including the Chairperson). The work of VISUAL is delivered by a small, talented team of 7 fulltime equivalent staff and 9 casual staff, led by the CEO and Artistic Director, who has overall responsibility for the programming and corporate management of the organisation. VISUAL is a company limited by shares with one shareholder, Carlow County Council.