Galway Arts Centre is proud to participate in “Thursday Lates”, a six-month pilot programme developed in partnership with Galway City Council and the Department of Culture, Communications & Sport, to extend their opening hours to provide greater access to arts and culture in Galway City outside of traditional working hours.

Thursday 8th January 2026
Artist Talk and workshop by Claire McLaughlin
Talk at 6:00pm – no booking required
Workshop at 7:00pm – booking essential.

A recent shift in practice, after decades of exploring meaning in domestic ceramics, led ceramic artist, Claire McLaughlin, toward a deeper engagement with landscape, ecology, and community. What began with a derelict cottage and a forgotten set of bowls grew into a collaborative environmental artwork shaped by children, elders, and the living waters of the bay. For Thursday Lates, Claire will talk about this creative journey and offer attendees the hands-on opportunity of bringing shells from the ancient Galway Bay Shell Middens back to life in clay. It is hoped that this tactile experience will stimulate conversation on how these clay shell vessels are a way of connecting with and holding history and attest to the kinship between human and more-than-human.