BA in Visual Art Degree Programme

The BA Visual Art, Sherkin Island has for many years offered a distinctive model of island-based arts education. Established as a community-based higher education initiative, the programme has played an important role in supporting access to third-level visual arts education within West Cork and the wider island region.

The presence of a degree programme within a small island community reflects an understanding that artistic learning and production can occur outside metropolitan centres, embedded within particular landscapes and communities. Its ethos emphasises practice-based learning, critical inquiry and engagement with place, encouraging students to develop their artistic practices in dialogue with the landscapes, communities and cultural traditions of West Cork.

Through its relationship with the programme, Uillinn provides an important professional context for students as they encounter contemporary visual art through the centre’s exhibitions and public programmes. The centre also provides an important platform for the biennial BAVA graduate exhibition.

This connection enables students to experience the work of national and international artists, engage with curators and researchers and to situate their own developing practices within the wider visual arts ecology of the region.

Read about the BA Visual Arts, Sherkin Island celebrating 25 years here

The BA Visual Art Degree Programme is now accepting applications for a new intake to the four year degree on Sherkin Island for the academic year 2026/2027.

For further information on the programme and application procedure see the TU Dublin webpage here

or contact the Programme Chair, Jesse Jones at jesse.jones@tudublin.ie