First Impressions is a landmark exhibition created especially for early years audiences by Cork-based visual artist Jane Hayes. Bringing together a major body of work developed over several years, the exhibition invites young children and their families into a visually rich and imaginative world that reflects how young children encounter art: physically, playfully and with deep curiosity.
Featuring a diverse range of works including sculpture scaled to toddler height, hand-tufted textiles, photographic works and animation underscored by an evocative soundscape, First Impressions is a celebration of visual art made with and for young children. Technically accomplished and emotionally attuned, this show honours the intelligence, agency and sensory ways in which young children experience the world.
This is Hayes’s most ambitious presentation to date, offering a rare opportunity to experience an artist’s sustained, innovative engagement with early childhood through contemporary visual art.
First Impressions is generously supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council, and Sample-Studios.
Jane Hayes is a Cork-based visual artist creating new and innovative work for early years audiences. Her multi-award-winning practice is grounded in visual art, shaped by her experience as a mother of three young boys, and rooted in the real and imagined worlds of early childhood. Hayes produces technically accomplished, conceptually rich work that reflects the physical, playful ways young children engage with art.
Recent projects include Sweet Home Sweet (2023) and First Impressions (2024), both touring nationally. Hayes is a member of Sample-Studios and a Baboró Associate Artist. Her practice is supported by The Arts Council and Cork City Council.
Venue | Galway Arts Centre, Dominick St.
View venue details, accessibility and transport options here.