The Connecting Artists Collective
Created by Artists for Artists
The Connecting Artists Collective is a national community of artists from across Ireland.who are neurodivergent or have an intellectual disabilities We provide a platform for collaboration, skill-sharing, and creative growth, supporting artists to develop their practice and showcase their work. Through exhibitions, mentorship, and networking opportunities, the Collective fosters inclusivity in the arts and empowers members to reach new audiences.
To view and purchase original artwork and cards, click the button below to visit our gallery shop.
Meet The Collective Artists
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Amy Begley
Artist
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David Singleton
Artist
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Kristin Reynado Suniega
Artist
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Joe Hallam
Artist
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Samuel Hilliard
Artist
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Jenny Stafford
Artist
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Alan Tarpey
Artist
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Niamh Eldridge-Barry
Artist
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Jason Grace
Artist
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Clement Yang
Artist
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Jennifer Humphreys
Artist
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Michael Hade
Artist
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Matthew Sexton
Artist
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Amy Clarke
Artist
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Thomas Higgins
Artist
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Rachel Coen
Artist
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Brian Kennedy
Artist
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Sarah McNulty
Artist
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Richard Hickey
Artist
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Tomás Malone
Artist
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Bradley Farrell
Artist
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Peter Kehoe
Artist
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Mark Buckley
Artist
View Current and Upcoming CA Collective Events and Exhibitions below
CA Collective at the RHA: The 2025 Exhibition- 14th March-20th April 2025
View the images from opening night artists reception, on Thursday 13th March. This is the second year the CA Collective has exhibited at the prestigious Royal Hibernian Academy. The exhibition was on view from 14th March - 20th April 2025 and featured artists talks/demonstrations featuring Tomás Malone and Jennifer Humphreys.
Click the button to learn more about the CA Collective at the RHA.
Click the left and right arrows to scroll through the gallery below.
CA Collective Exhibition at West End Art Studio, Mallow
Please join us for the opening event -Friday 16th, May 6pm-8pm
Open to all no RSVP required
160 West End, Mallow, Co. Cork, P51 N4FR, Ireland
The evening will include opening remarks by Julie Helen, journalist for The Echo, who will introduce the exhibition
Exhibition on: Friday 16th May - Sunday 25rd May - Exhibition open to view: Fridays - Sundays 11am-5pm
Email support@connectionsartscentre with any questions
Kildare Artists Exhibition
Ardclough Village Centre 1140, Wheatfield Upper, W23 YY32
Exhibition Open- Free and open to all-10th April - 8th May
View the works-Wednesdays - Sundays from 9am-3:30pm
Featuring artists Niamh Eldridge Barry and Jenny Stafford
Collective at the University of Atypical, Belfast
Thursday, 1st August - Wednesday 28th August, 2024
This exhibition featured artwork from 22 artists from the Connecting Artists 2024 Programme and the Connecting Artists Collective.
View images from the opening night event. Click arrows on the left and right to scroll through the gallery below
Disrupt Disability Arts Festival
Featuring Jason Grace and the CA Collective, Project Arts Centre 8th March, 2025
Part of the Disrupt Disability Arts Festival 2025. Jason Grace was featured in an artists conversation and showcase of works in progress, while sharing insights into his creative processes. He invited the audience to create alongside him in an interactive workshop. This event also featured an exhibition in the Project Arts Centre, of selected works from Connections Artists Collective ongoing throughout the day.
View highlights in the image gallery below
CA Collective at the RHA
This landmark exhibition was the first for artists with intellectual disabilities at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, setting the stage for future endeavors. At our April 10th event celebrating the CA Collective, Patrick Murphy, Director of the RHA, reinforced this milestone by announcing RHA's commitment to continue to host our Spring exhibitions in 2025 and 2026. A testament to the groundbreaking impact of Connections Arts Centre and a significant recognition by the Irish arts community.
The Spring 2024 Exhibition
View highlights from our 10th of April event Celebrating the CA Collective at the RHA, in the image gallery below.
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Art Source Dublin 2024
23 artists from the CA Collective exhibited and sold artwork at Art Source Dublin at the RDS. Across three days the artists showcased their work, met other artists, and sold pieces to many happy art enthusiasts. It was a great experience for everyone and very inspiring to connect with artist from across Ireland.
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College of Anesthesiologists Annual Congress
Thursday May 24th- May 25, 2024
Connections Arts Centre was invited to share our programmes and showcase and sell artwork from Collective artists. Artists David Singleton (pictured above) and Niamh Eldridge-Barry were in attendance to meet with people and speak about their artwork. A painting by artist Niamh Eldridge-Barry was also awarded during the conference as part of the SIM wars competition.
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CA collective at the RHA Exhibition Opening Night
The Collective artists celebrated with the other artists exhibiting at the RHA and the art community. The opening night event for the CAC at RHA exhibition, was a joyous event where everyone got to celebrate the creative work of all the artists.
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Artist Workshop: Crawford Gallery, Cork
What amazing day!!! And made great connections with @doubletakearts @kcat.art.centre @crawford.supportedstudio @suisha.arts @crawfordartgallery can’t thank @crawfordartgallery for all their support and welcoming and hosting us!
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Selling and Exhibition: ArtSource Cork
Collective artists sold and exhibited artwork at ArtSource Cork, at Cork City Hall. During the three day event, 6th-8th October 2023. Many of the artists came to the event to speak about their work and meet the other artists selling at the event. Fun was had by all and connections were made.
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Exhibition: University of Atypical
Collective artists and their artwork took to the road. The exhibition at University of Atypical ran from the 3rd - 25th August 2023. For the opening event some of the artists were there; sharing their stories and experience from the Connecting Artist Programme.
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CA 2023 Exhibition: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Our ten amazing artists from Connecting Artists 2023 exhibited their work at the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) from Sunday 16th of July until Tuesday 18th of July, 2023.
We saw over 300 attendees across the 3-day exhibition; which included attendees from all across Ireland. We were honoured to have Irish television broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan participate in the exhibition, give her time to meet the artists, and launch the opening of the event, with an inspiring introduction.
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CitiBank Christmas Fair
Along with other organisations from from Inner City Enterprise and supported by CAC. The Collective artists were able to showcase and sell original art at the 2023 Citi Bank Christmas fair in Dublin.
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Showcase at National Disability Authority Conference
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Exhibition and showcase at Citi Bank Dublin
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Artists Talks and Demonstrations
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Artist Demonstration with Artist Niamh Eldridge-Barry
Meet the Artist:
Niamh Eldridge Barry is from Rathmore, Nass, Co Kildare. She was diagnosed with Dyspraxia at the age of eight. She has had a passion for art since childhood. Niamh's preferred subjects are landscapes and animals and she takes inspiration from her imagination and referencing places she has visited.
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Artist Talk with Thomas Higgins and his mentor Pamela
Meet the Artist:
11 years ago, Thomas overcome a a brain haemorrhage and subsequent left leg paralysis. His love for art was a constant source of inspiration and expression during this time and throughout his life. His favourite medium is oil paints and he loves recreating old photographs. Thomas has a wide knowledge of art and can talk about his love of it for hours.
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Artist Demonstration with Alan Tarpey
Meet the Artist:
Alan loves to paint familiar people and the buildings they inhabit, using pen, ink, and watersoluble pastel on acrylic paper to bring out the colour of the subjects. A scene in real life is further enhanced by his stroke. Alan started with his own native Roscommon and proceeded to illustrate every enjoyable spot he encountered along his daily path, be it cycling, walking or visiting town or city by bus.
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Artist Demonstration with Amy Clarke
Meet the Artist:
Amy, an artists from Galway, loves art as it inspires her to be creative and helps her to inspire others. She loves using different paints and all sorts of materials for her artwork.
About the The Connecting Artists Collective:
An offshoot of the Connecting Artists Programme, an annual, innovative online initiative aimed at supporting visual artists who are neurodivergent or are living with an intellectual disabilities, who wish to develop their professional and creative practice.
The Connecting Artists Collective was developed based on a strong wish expressed by the artists who participated in the inaugural Connecting Artist programme in 2022 and 2023 programmes to stay connected and continue to support each other and share their skills.. The Collective aims to give Artists a safe supported space where they can continue to share their skills, learn from each other. It acts as a dynamic online hub that promotes artistic exploration and collaboration, both within the disability community and the broader society. This unique space allows artists to express their individuality and cultural identity, showcasing and selling their work.
Connections Arts Centre supports the group of artists along with mentors from the Connecting Artists programme who have joined the Collective with an active WhatsApp group, monthly online meetings , professional paid opportunities, and developing opportunities for the artists to exhibit and sell their work.
CAC would like to thank our Connecting Artists Collective partners the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the RHA for their exhibition and workshop support.
