A Thirst for Silver | Artist Talk

Cara Murphy is giving an artist talk at Craft NI Gallery on Thursday 22 October, a one-hour session that runs alongside the A Thirst for Silver exhibition. Murphy is a silversmith based in County Down, and she's also the Chair of Contemporary British Silversmiths (CBS), the organisation behind the show. Her credentials run deep: she's a Royal Warrant Holder, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, and an Associate Academician of the Royal Ulster Academy. Her work is held in major collections including the Ulster Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and The Silver Trust at Downing Street, and she's made five Grand National trophies in recent years.

The talk accompanies A Thirst for Silver, a CBS exhibition at Craft NI Gallery that runs from 3 September to 31 October 2026. It brings together more than 50 makers at every stage of their careers, from recent graduates to internationally recognised master silversmiths. The silver beaker is the central motif, with each maker interpreting it in their own way — some sticking to traditional techniques and meticulous craftsmanship, others pushing into contemporary experimentation. From there, the show looks at the long relationship between silver, ceremony, and ritual.

If you've already spent some time with the exhibition, this is a good chance to hear one of the makers talk through the work and the craft behind it. The talk starts at 6:00pm and lasts an hour, and it's free to attend.