5th November—4th December 2026
The National Sculpture Factory (NSF), founded over 37 years ago, is a beloved Cork institution based in one of Ireland’s few industrial warehouse-style buildings. Situated at the gateway to Cork’s Docklands, the NSF acts as a portal to Cork’s heritage and a literal factory for future artistic dreams.
Over its lifetime, the NSF has supported over 50 artists per year within its physical space, with at least as many again utilizing its wider services and facilities, with alumni including founders Maud Cotter, Eilis O’Connell, Danny McCarthy, and Vivienne Roche, alongside celebrated international figures Tony Cragg and James Turrell. Today, artists participating in major Irish and international exhibitions and commissions continue to use NSF resources to deliver exceptional work.
The Opportunity: To support how artists use our resources and to extend the discourse around contemporary sculpture, the NSF is dedicating 5 studios to artists via Open Call for 1- and 2-year occupancies.
Please note that this award is highly competitive, the closest fit to each category will be significant in selection.
Available Studios and Fields of Practice
*Sculpture (2-Year Tenancy): For artists with a demonstrable engagement with materials within the tradition of sculpture, and a commitment to utilizing the NSF’s specialised resources, skills, and expertise.
*Expanded Sculpture (2-Year Tenancy): For artists with a hybrid practice that emphasizes experimentation between sculpture and other fields of expertise, skill, or knowledge.
*Socially Engaged Sculpture Development (1-Year Tenancy): For artists working with groups or convened teams to explore areas of mutual enquiry, emphasizing participatory methods and outcomes.
*Ceramic Art (2-Year Tenancy): For artists demonstrating a clear engagement with the materiality and methodology of ceramics as a Fine Art practice for exhibition and creation.
*Curatorial Practice (6-Month Tenancy): For active curatorial enquiry encompassing exhibition/project development and engagement in Visual Arts discourses, within independent or institutional curation.
Studio Details & Cost: studios are highly subsidized and every effort is made to keep costs low.
Size:
Artist’s Studios: Open bay workspace measuring 3 x 6metres.
Curator’s Studio: Closed workspace measuring 2.5 x 4.5metres.
– Each space has electrical supply of 110v, 220v and 440v.
– All studios are on ground-floor level with accessible entrance and toilet/washroom facilities.
– Awarded artists and curator will have keys to the premises which are alarmed:
opening times are Mon-Fri 7.30am-10pm, open Saturdays with no heavy machinery operable, closed Sunday.
Facilities: Access to heavy and specialist equipment, library, meeting room, Wi-Fi, technical advice and curatorial resources, preferential rates for professional development.
Rent: €200 per calendar month, inclusive of standard utility bills. (Note: Additional costs apply for exceptional electricity or gas usage).
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must demonstrate
*At least 5 years of professional practice with a track record of exhibitions and projects.
*Documentation of work in public/private exhibitions, public spaces, community projects, or curatorial activities.
*A clear programme of development or experimentation associated with their studio practice.
Application Process: To assist our small administrative team and selection panel circulation, please submit all materials compiled into 1 single PDF document to info@nationalsculpturefactory.com
*Cover Letter: Outlining your need for a studio, how you will use NSF resources, upcoming projects, and why this space is vital to your practice at this time.
*Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailing your exhibition history, education, awards, collections, and any bibliography/writings featuring your work (no more than 3 pages total)
*Artist / Curator Statement: A statement, indicating your current enquiry and the next phase of your work.
*Visual Documentation: 3 high-quality images reflecting your work, fully captioned and dated.
*For the Curatorial Studio, please submit images/documentation and writing for exhibitions, projects and events you have curated.
Only requested information will be relevant to the selection process.
Selection Process: A panel comprising NSF staff, an artist, and a studio-development visual arts professional will review applications based on artistic quality, coherence of plan, and fit with the NSF mission
Key Dates (2026):
Application Deadline: 4 December 2026
Selection Review: Second week of December 2026
Awards Announced: Third week of December 2026
Contact: For further information, or should you need assistance with the application process, please email info@nationalsculpturefactory.com