Opening Reception Thursday 4 September, 6 – 8pm

Boyle Arts Festival was established over 25 years ago as a small festival giving a platform to local poets, singers and visual artists. Over the next few years it developed so that by the 1990’s the visual artists exhibiting were of national importance. Alongside the Art exhibition the Arts Festival also developed a well regarded national profile. In 1990 it was decided that the commission made on the sale of paintings would be used to acquire works of art for the town of Boyle. The first two paintings by Joe Hanley and John Moore, being purchased in 1990 by Mr. Fergus Ahern and Mr. Barry Feely.

From its modest beginnings the collection has grown into a nationally recognized collection with over 280 pieces of art from nearly every known contemporary Irish artist. Mr. Fergus Ahern, curator of the Civic Art Collection from its inception until his untimely death in 2010, was the driving force behind the annual summer exhibition. The majority of the collection was purchased by Fergus from the sales commission of these annual exhibitions, with a number of works generously donated by the Haverty Trust and the artists themselves.

Under the current curatorship of Mr. Barry Feely the collection continues to grow, with a number of exciting developments planned for its 25th anniversary in 2015. The Boyle Civic Art Collection is at present displayed in a number of locations throughout Boyle, with the main body of work being housed in King House.