DCU Arts and Culture

DCU Welcomes Two New Visual Artists in Residence for 2026/27

31/03/2026

Dublin City University (DCU) is excited to announce two talented new Visual Artists in Residence for the 2026/27 academic year. In partnership with Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS), DCU is thrilled to welcome Julie Merriman and Fiona Harrington, who will join the university’s creative community for a year-long residency based at the All Hallows Campus in Drumcondra.

This residency, a well-established collaboration between DCU and FSAS, offers professional artists the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the university’s academic and research environment. The programme fosters a dynamic exchange of ideas, allowing artists to contribute to the cultural life of the university while drawing inspiration from its cutting-edge research.

Julie Merriman is a visual artist whose work delves into present-day and historical data to explore themes of inscription, replication, and transmission. During her residency at DCU, Julie will focus on the intersections of her artistic practice with DCU’s research strengths, particularly in areas like Air Traffic Control, Sustainability, and Aviation Management. Collaborating with the Aviation Leadership programme, Julie will create new works that reflect the complex and evolving landscape of these fields.

Fiona Harrington, a seasoned visual artist and educator, brings over 20 years of experience to the residency. Known for her mastery of traditional Irish lacemaking, Fiona’s work has been showcased both nationally and internationally. During her time at DCU, Fiona plans to develop new sculptural works and a significant publication on Irish lace, a craft she holds dear. Her residency will also include arts-education-focused initiatives, creating opportunities for creative exchange and collaboration across the university community. Fiona’s deep commitment to the preservation and innovation of traditional crafts, combined with her passion for arts education, will enrich the creative atmosphere at DCU.

"These residency opportunities have become a part of DCU’s cultural fabric," says Marcella Bannon, DCU’s Cultural Arts Officer. “Julie and Fiona each bring fresh perspectives, pushing the boundaries of their respective mediums and disciplines. We’re excited to welcome them into our community and look forward to seeing how their work will evolve in this collaborative space.”

The DCU/FSAS Visual Artists in Residence Programme is a cornerstone of DCU’s commitment to integrating the arts into university life, fostering creative inquiry, experimentation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. With each residency, DCU continues to build a dynamic environment where art and research can flourish together.

Julie Merriman uses present-day and historical data as research material to investigate modes of inscription, replication and transmission. A central element of her practice is the repurposing of obsolete office copying materials: carbon paper and typewriter film. Currently, she is re-employing an early office stencil and ink print technology called Mimeograph. Exhibitions include Attitude of a Plane at Linenhall Arts Centre, Mayo 2023, Dark Abstraction at VISUAL Carlow 2024 and Stories of Art at Glucksman Gallery, Cork 2024.

Fiona Harrington is a visual artist who uses handmade lace, found objects and ceramic processes to create her work. She has received numerous accolades, including the Thomas Damann Bursary, the RDS Graduate Prize, a National Craft Award and the Branchardière Bursary. Fiona’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and was included in exhibitions at the National Gallery. RHA, Visual Centre for Contemporary art, 4th Space in Montreal and at the Textiles Triennale in Hungary. More recently, she received the Fire Station Studios Sculpture Practice Award and Arts Council funding to support a research trip to Venice, where she studied rare needlelace techniques with local master lacemakers.