18 July 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Art Historian Dr Matthew Whyte and Sample-Studios are offering an exciting new summer school this National Heritage Week from 18-21 August. This programme invites audiences to immerse themselves in the history of Irish art and culture across 4 days of engaging talks and site visits. The summer school takes place in the beautiful surrounds of UCC Campus, in the Boole Library Creative Zone. Lectures are held from 10:30am-12:30pm each day, and optional site visits to accessible locations such as St Finbarr’s Cathedral and Cork Public Museum take place from 1:30-2:30pm. You can view the full schedule of lectures and site visits and book tickets at www.sample-studios.com/events/
This programme provides a unique opportunity for lovers of art to engage with the fascinating history of Ireland through its beautiful visual culture. Beginning in the early monasteries which produced the Book of Kells and Ireland’s famous Sheela-na-Gig sculptures, Dr Whyte will lead a journey through the Age of Enlightenment with the establishment of the Cork School of Art to the modern artists who envisioned the formation of the Free State in the 20th century, finishing with a discussion of contemporary art in Ireland. Participants are in for a further treat as Cork-based multi award-winning visual artist Lara Quinn will join Dr Whyte to speak about how her art fuses history and mythology with contemporary painting.
Business to Arts Picture Conor McCabe Photography.
Dr Matthew Whyte has lectured in History of Art at UCC since 2014 and frequently presents public lectures on topics ranging from the Italian Middle Ages to modern and contemporary Ireland. With this summer school, he wants to meet the considerable local demand for art and culture by giving broad audiences a way to engage with Irish history. UCC Library welcomes the event as it expands its public engagement and community outreach by offering an inclusive space for public events, welcoming people from all walks of life across Cork City. Dr Whyte remarks, ‘Cork has such a thriving arts scene and it’s reflected in the voracious appetite I often encounter among the public for informative talks on art and history, particularly on local topics. People want to know about Irish history, its art, and what it means to them. National Heritage Week is the perfect opportunity to make this accessible in a new way, and we’re very grateful to UCC Library for providing an ideal setting in which to host these talks.’
All proceeds from this summer school will go to Sample-Studios, a registered charity and non-profit organisation devoted to supporting and sustaining the careers of emerging and established artists in Cork and beyond. With over 160 members, Sample-Studios is one of Ireland’s largest artist studios. They run an extensive programme of exhibitions, professional development training and mentorship, artist residencies, and national and international studio exchanges to support and sustain the careers of emerging and established artists. Sample-Studios also runs a multi award-winning education and outreach programme engaging over 1,000 children, young people, and marginalised artists annually.