SMCM-Arcadia Burren College of Art, Ireland

SMCM has partnered with Arcadia Abroad’s Burren College of Art in rural Ballyvaughan, Ireland. This program offers an intensive and highly individualized residential art experience. With fewer than 55 students, studying at Burren offers artists the chance for intense focus and liberation from rigid programming. Each student receives their own dedicated studio space, with 24/7 access. The intriguing and ethereal beauty of the Burren’s landscape continues to inspire artists to create in collaboration with the land.

Please note that this program requires students to be at the junior level and to submit a portfolio as part of the application process.

SMCM’s partnership with Arcadia Abroad creates an immersive experience for students to learn beyond the classroom.  More than simply visiting a landmark or touring the city, students engage with the culture of the place, its people, environment and its traditions.

The Burren College of Art is located on the grounds of a 16th century castle in the rural village of Ballyvaughan in rural Ireland. The school is on the Wild Atlantic Way on the northwest coast of County Clare, across the bay from Galway (about an hour’s drive). Students are lodged nearby and take classes and work in their studio space in the Burren castle.

The Burren College of Art offers studio-based subjects such as drawing, painting, photography, or sculpture, as well as adjunct studio and liberal arts courses. Students must enroll in at least one non-studio-art course and are encouraged to take the Irish Studies course, which includes weekly interactive field trips. Examples of non-studio-art courses include Art & Ecology, Live Art, Art in Context, Mixed Media, Irish Studies, Art History (Spring only), and Creative Writing (Autumn only).

Students should read the Arcadia Abroad Courses page for clarity before diving into offered courses in the Burren College of Art’s course catalog.

Burren College of Art courses are assigned a weight of 3 credits, though some advanced studio courses have 6 credits.

The Lodge at Burren College of Art offers students a comfortable setting within minutes of walking from the campus. Students live with other international students, sharing same-gender bedroom and bathroom facilities and co-ed communal cooking and living areas. Students prepare their own meals together and go grocery shopping in the local village, and a shuttle is offered daily to and from the campus. Furthermore, there is a meal plan available at additional cost for purchase at the college.

Upon arrival to Ireland, Arcadia Abroad provides  cultural and academic orientation before students reach the Burren College of Art. At Burren, student life is close-knit and supported by the college staff. Students often travel around Ireland during their time studying abroad, taking advantage of Arcadia’s included excursions (such as the Regional UK and Ireland and continental Europe events, Game of Thrones Film Locations Excursion, Ealu Weekend Escape, and more). Burren offers integrated field trips in some of their courses, and often provides the opportunity to purchase an additional optional trip to another country, as well.