'Made in Ballinasloe' exhibition to begin this weekend

The Ballinasloe-based professional artist collective, Group 8, will launch its third annual exhibition of art and writing - 'Made in Ballinasloe' - this Saturday, March 10, at 7pm in The Regency Room at Hayden's Hotel. The exhibition will take place between March 10 and March 18, daily from 11am to 6pm, including Saint Patrick's Day. 'Made in Ballinasloe' is the result of collaborative work the group undertook around the theme of all the things that are made in the town and its environs. With the closure of factories, shoes are no longer made in Ballinasloe and neither are pens or circuit boards. Large scale industry does not exist in the town. This exhibition explores the things that have been and still are made in Ballinasloe. Group 8 is comprised of seven visual artists and two writers: Joyce Little - visual and multimedia artist; Tommy Campbell - sculptor; Grellan Ganly - visual artist; Úna Spain - visual artist; Brendan Grealy - visual artist; Nuala Ní Chonchúir - writer; Zara Little-Campbell - writer; John Soden - painter; and Fiona Glynn - textile designer. The group's mission statement sets out what it hopes to achieve: "Group 8 is a non-profit, professional arts group, united in the belief that art worthy of exposure can express the vitality of a community, and foster awareness, imagination and co-operative learning between the artist and their community." The group also hosts an annual poetry evening in November. Made in Ballinasloe, and its accompanying catalogue, will be launched by Michael McCullagh. All are welcome to come and see sculpture, photography, installations, textile work, video and paintings; listen to live poetry readings, music from The Bee Jazzband, and enjoy a glass of wine. The exhibition will be open throughout the week and admission is free.