The Maclaurin Art Gallery News

Improvements to the Courtyard

The Maclaurin Gallery • July 7, 2025

Improvements to the Courtyard

Things are happening in the courtyard thanks to some amazing volunteers who have given up their time to help Friends of the Maclaurin maintain the planting area in the courtyard.


Over the last few years the Friends have renewed the seating outside the gallery, providing benches and picnic tables for visitors to sit out in the sunny weather. This year we lost our plant supplier and so a group of green fingered volunteers kindly stepped up and planted a new herbaceous border in our big trough on Thursday! They’re a hardy bunch too, with all the work done in the rain!


It's an amazing job and huge thanks to the newly formed Courtyard team, Pattie Kewney, Geoff Caldwell and Kayte Mapes. When we spoke with Pattie on Thursday she summed up the day’s efforts, explaining, “We’re soaked to the skin but pleased with the result! There is always a good feeling about volunteering and contributing what we can for the enjoyment of the community.”


Yes indeed, everyone benefits from this and we all appreciate the team’s sterling effort.


A few photos, before and after, and, in case you wondered how many potted plants you can fit into a compact car...

RSA200: Celebrating Together Opening

By The Maclaurin Gallery • July 3, 2026
There was a huge amount of preparation for these two exceptional exhibitions, celebrating RSA200 years and we enjoyed a joint launch event, kindly opened by Councillor Alec Clark, Portfolio holder for Tourism and Culture, along with Gallery Engagement Officer Erin Crossan and Trustee Michael Clark. In addition to the RSA200 shows, Michael and Ian McNicol got together and curated the excellent PRINTMAKING: A RECENT HISTORY exhibition which is hanging in gallery one. Using the words of Dianne Gardner, we have 3 exhibitions for Ayrshire and a real spirit of cooperation in the making. Call in and see these special shows, here throughout the summer. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see selected works from the Maclaurin and South Ayrshire Council’s permanent collections, enhanced with fabulous artwork on loan from the Royal Scottish Academy. Guest RSA artists include Bronwen Sleigh, Ade Adesina and Frances Walker.

Well Connected: The Royal Scottish Academy and The Maclaurin Collection

By The Maclaurin Gallery • May 28, 2026
Saturday 20 June - Sunday 30 August 2026 Founded in 1826, the Royal Scottish Academy supports art and architecture in Scotland. It is an independent, non-governmental institution, governed by Members to operate on a charitable basis.

Private View for Future Folklore: The Art and Craft of Storytelling

By The Maclaurin Gallery • March 31, 2026
We were delighted to host the Private View for Visual Arts Scotland on Saturday afternoon and what a turn out it was!  This exhibition FUTURE FOLKLORE: THE ART AND CRAFT OF STORYTELLING has over 300 pieces of contemporary art on display and, as a result, we also had a very busy Private View! The exhibition was opened by Chair of the Maclaurin Trust, John Walker, along with Amanda Airey, Trustee of Visual Arts Scotland. Visual Arts Scotland supports over 1400 artists and makers in and around Scotland and we are very fortunate that VAS brings this major show across to Ayrshire. Please take advantage of it being right here on your doorstep! As always, entry is free to the gallery and all artworks for sale. Keep an eye out for some of our Ayrshire artists taking part as well.