AIB Collection: In A Place In Time

Visual Centre for Contemporary Art, Carlow Until Aug 21 visualcarlow.ie COLLECTING FOR IRELAND: Hunt Museum, Rutland St, Limerick Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm. Jul 5-Sep 4 huntmuseum.com

One of the side effects of our economic woes has been to bring up the question of what art collections are about: who builds them up and why?

This year’s Éigse Carlow Festival (eigse.com) highlights the AIB Collection, probably the finest coherent collection of Irish art from the late 19th to early 21st century outside

of the national institutions. The Visual show covers a wide range of work, past and present.

Featured in the line-up are such outstanding talents as Kathy Prendergast, Paul Seawright, Stephen Brandes (his Bel Aire, above), Oliver Comerford, Joy Gerrard, Blaise Drummond and many more. It’s well worth visiting, along with the other Éigse shows.

Limerick’s Hunt Museum, meanwhile, will offer a showcase of work held by the Arts Council. It is a big, generous show with pieces by more than 40 artists, from Basil Blackshaw to Michael Warren, John Behan to Samuel Walsh.

Can't see that? Catch this:

FamilyNew Gallery Space, The Helix, DCU, Dublin Jul 2-29 01-7007000