Case studies

In The Table, artist Ned Jackson Smyth uses stone, bronze and earth to create an installation that invites contemplation and interaction. This large-scale public artwork in Mayo draws inspiration from the area’s deep-rooted history and landscape.

Knock, Knock is a striking exploration of community, identity, and change within a small but significant area of Galway City. Commissioned under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, the project documents a single street and its residents, creating a powerful visual record of continuity and transformation.

A Very Grand Canal is a multi-layered public art project commissioned by Offaly County Council under the Per Cent for Art Scheme. Bringing together artists from different disciplines, the project reimagines the Grand Canal as both a cultural landmark and a source of creative inspiration.

Schoolwork is a series of 20 paintings by realist painter Blaise Smith, commissioned under the Per Cent for Arts Scheme by Presentation College, Carlow. Smith spent an entire academic year as artist-in-residence to capture the spirit of the school in real time.

Core Principles 1–4 is a dynamic sculpture that symbolises a Midleton school’s core values of equality, diversity, child-centered education, and democracy. Created by Maree Hensey and Mark Ryan, the piece is made of painted steel with fret-cut designs and bronze castings.

The Balloon Tree artworks, created by artist Róisín de Buitléar, stand as a testament to the power of art in enhancing the healthcare experience. Located at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown and Tallaght Hospital, they greet and comfort visitors and patients and provide joy and distraction in a clinical setting. 

Situated in a prominent green area near the M7 motorway, Perpetual Motion stands as a beacon on the main route connecting the southwest of Ireland to Dublin. This sculptural work, created by Remco de Fouw and Rachel Joynt, draws inspiration from its surroundings and the activity of the motorway junction.

How do you express the cultural and social identity of a school and its community? Scoil San Phroinsias National School wanted to answer this question in a creative and inclusive way: the result is a collection of new music created by the students as a celebration of global citizenship.

At 12 meters high, Polestar towers over Letterkenny's Port Bridge Roundabout, a star-like wooden beacon that celebrates the town's history as an economic gateway. This iconic artwork is the work of Derry-born artist Locky Morris, commissioned in 2006 by Donegal County Council.

Illumination is a series of lighting installations created by Andrew Kearney. It aims to introduce the idea of new beginnings at the iconic Boiler House power plant, a well-known sight within a housing estate in the heart of Ballymun.