Sarah Bracken Soper is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Dublin, Ireland. Her work explores themes of feminism, Irish identity, intersectionality and inequality. "I believe that creation of art is an essential process in our understanding of the world and a crucial tool for change and recovery." Bracken holds a masters degree in art & design education from NCAD and is an experienced art educator who often engages with communities to inform her work. She is insured for public liability, certified to work at heights and operate MEWPs.

Bracken has a background in artistic event management, was founder of the Dublin Zine Fair and has been a proud zinester since 2006. She is committed to enriching and improving life in Ireland through art. Her art is often connected to social change, protest and fundraising for causes close to her heart.  

Bracken’s subject matter determines the medium in which she works. Her embroidered portrait series commemorates strong and influential Irish women. “Trailblazer" portrait of activist Ailbhe Smyth was Highly Commended by the National Gallery of Ireland. 

Bracken was commissioned by Crumlin Creative Climate Action, to create a large installation on Seagull House, inspired by a community workshop with local children about the climate crisis, the project was funded by Creative Ireland, supported by DCC and was shortlisted for the 2023 IDI Awards. 

Bracken's work has been featured in The Irish Times, The Guardian, The Irish Independent, The Hearld, Sky Atlantic TV Show ‘ Urban Secrets’, “Secret Dublin” guidebook, Hotpress Magazine, Totally Dublin Magazine, Image Magazine, Irish Country Living, RTÉ TV shows “This Is Art Club” & “At Your Service’ and RTÉ Guide. She was also a regular tutorial contributor to Sew Magazine (UK) and Craft Ideas Magazine (US).

• Professional Masters in Art and Design Education at the National College of Art & Design (NCAD), 2015-2017 

• Diploma in Online Marketing and Digital Strategy, from Dublin Business School, Distinction (DBS), 2013

• Honours Degree in Fine Art from the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), 2005-2009

• Art, Design and Mixed Media from (BCFE), 2004-2005​​

• Artist in Residence with Dept. of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University 2024

• Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award 2024

• DCC Culture Company Creative Facilitators Panel 2024-2026

• “The Weight” Climate Mural accepted into the 100 Archive 2022

• Crumlin Creative Climate Action Project funded by Creative Ireland 2022

• Commissioned by DLR Arts Office & Creative Ireland to create an animation for Light Up Dún Laoghaire 2021

• Highly Commended at the Zurich Portrait Prize at the National Gallery of Ireland, 2020

• Best Animated Short, L-Dub Film Festival, Florida, USA, 2019

• Shortlisted for the Zurich Portrait Prize at the National Gallery of Ireland, 2018

• The Lorna Brett Jordan Memorial Bursary in Prinkmaking, 2009

• Origins of Animation Workshop for RTE’s “This Is Art Club” 2024

• Workshop & Mural at WALK 2024

• Guest Lecturer at UCD Arts & Humanities 2024

• Workshops & Mural at St Marks Jr NS 2023

• Graphic Design Lecturer at Dublin Institute of Design 2017-2023

• Community Workshop -Crumlin Creative Climate Action Project 2022

• Masterclass in embroidery for National Gallery of Ireland 2021 

• Art Teacher at Le Chéile Secondary School 2017-2018

• Development Education Artist Talk to Professional Masters of Education Students at NCAD

• Workshop Facilitator for NCAD Access Day 2017

• Artist facilitator for Irish Film Institute (IFI) mural project with 12 young adults, 2016

• Student teacher at St Mac Dara’s Community College, 2016-2017

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) project at St Josephs School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 2016

• Arts and Crafts Teacher at Centre of English Studies (CES), Summer 2016

• Embroidery Tutorials, Sew Magazine (UK) and Craft Ideas Magazine (US), 2014-2018

• Book binding and zine making workshop at Dublin Zine Fair 2011-2015

• Student teacher at Castleknock Community College, 2015-2016

• Craft workshops with staff at Facebook HQ, 2016

• Kids zine-making workshop for Irish Film Institute’s Family Fest, Dublin, 2016

• Artist talk at Science Gallery Dublin, 2015

• Embroidery workshop with Image Magazine, 2015

• Artist talk on artistic entrepreneurship at Champlain College, Leeson St, Dublin, 2015

• Lecture & zine workshop at Limerick International Publishers Salon, Ormston House, 2014

• Artist talk at the Laydeez Do Comics meeting, 2013

• Black Church Print Studio Outreach Programme, 2011

• 2023 Commemoration of Jennie Wyse Power, Baltinglass Library, for Wicklow Co.Co.

• 2022-23 "The Weight" Crumlin Creative Climate Action large scale mural funded by Creative Ireland & supported by Dublin City Council

• 2022 to present Phil Lynott "Old Town" garden mural, Crumlin, Dublin 12

• 2021 Light Up Dún Laoghaire -Stop motion animation projected on the LexIcon Library and Cultural Centre

• 2021 Sculpture In Context, National Botanic Gardens of Ireland

• 2020/2021​ Zurich Portrait Prize, the National Gallery of Ireland & Crawford Gallery, Cork

• 2020 Christy Brown Mural, Crumlin, Dublin

• 2019 HALFTONE: Print Fair, The Library Project, Temple Bar, Dublin

• 2019 "So Low" Animation, L-Dub, Film Festival, Florida, USA

• 2018 Zurich Portrait Prize, the National Gallery of Ireland

• 2018 Canzine Festival by Broken Pencil, Canadian Tour

• 2017 & 2016 Dublin Canvas Project, Dublin City Council

• 2017 Art Auction in Aid of Rape Crisis Centre, Dublin

• 2016 "Spectrum" Animation, Art Trail, The Ark, Dublin 

• 2016 1916 Sackville Project, Botanic Gardens, Dublin

• 2016 Threshold Animation screened at Capital Irish Film Festival, Washington DC, USA

• 2016 Trauma Exhibition at Science Gallery Dublin. Project Bandage -Commemoration of 1916 Battlegrounds

• 2016 I curated & organised an exhibition of my students 1916 commemorative work in Cabra Library, Dublin

• 2016 Visev Festival de Cultura Urbana, Portugal

• 2015 Letterbox Dublin exhibition at "Dark Secrets" event, Science Gallery Dublin

• 2015 Dublin Zine Fair, The Chocolate Factory, Dublin

• 2015 Dublin Art Book Fair, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin

• 2015 Letterbox Dublin Billboard Street Exhibition

• 2015 Letterbox Dublin "Dublin Confessions" Exhibition as part of CFCP's New Voices Series at Dublin Design Institute

• 2015 Threshold Animation screened as part of Disrupting Realities Exhibition at Spectrum Art Centre, Belfast

• 2015 "Spectrum" & "Threshold" Animation Installations shown in "Once Upon a Picture" Exhibition at The Ark, childrens art centre, Temple Bar, Dublin

• 2014 Dublin Zine Fair, Centre for Creative Practices, Dublin

• 2014 Dublin Art Book Fair, Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, Dublin

• 2014 Limerick International Publishers Salon, Ormston House, Limerick

• 2014 Zine! Zine! Roos Art, New York

• 2014 Public Zine Library Tour, Cardiff Contemporary, Wales

• 2014 Public Zine Library Tour, Wise Words Festival, Canterbury, England

• 2014 The Public Zine Library at Interrobang, Free Word Centre, Clerkenwell, London

• 2014 Intercultural Winter Arts Fair, Centre for Creative Practices, Dublin

• 2014 "Threshold" Stop Motion Animation, Trailer Park Area, Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival, Co Laois

• 2014 Love Letters Exhibition, Centre for Creative Practices, Dublin

• 2014 Whitstable Biennale, Kent, UK

• 2013 Dublin Zine Fair, The Exchange, Temple Bar, Dublin

• 2012 Mural Painting in The Grand Social music venue, Dublin

• 2012 "Birdbox Village" Installation for the Body and Soul Area, Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival

• 2012 Letterbox Dublin Exhibition, Supafast Building, Dublin. Filmed by TwoFour for Sky Atlantic HD television show "City Secrets", hosted by Alan Cummings

• 2012 Dublin Zine Fair, Supafast Building, Dublin

• 2012 “Knockanstockan Mailbox” project, Knockanstockan Music and Arts Festival

• 2012 "Love Lomo" Lomography Photography Exhibition, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin

• 2012 Fermanagh District Council: Easter Small Works Exhibition at The Higher Bridges Gallery, Enniskillen, Fermanagh

• 2012/2011 Dublin Art Book Fair, Temple Bar Gallery and Studio, Dublin

• 2011 Ranelagh Arts Winter Salon, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin

• 2011 Sculpture In Context, Botanic Gardens, Dublin

• 2011 Berlin Zine Fest, Werkstatt der Kulturen, Berlin, Germany

• 2011 “The Mary Wishing Tree” installation. Body and Soul Area at Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co.Laois

• 2011 Dublin Zine Fair, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin

• 2011 Ranelagh Arts Summer Salon, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin

• 2011 "Something About Mary" Exhibition, Ranelagh Arts Centre, Dublin

• 2011 Crafty Market, Shebeen Chic, Dublin

• 2011 & 2010 My Letterbox Dublin project was featured in Designing Dublin’s map 100 exciting things you didn’t know about the city centre. It was exhibited in Filmbase, Temple Bar in November 2010 and in Dublin City Council’s Atrium at the Civic Offices in January 2011

• 2011/2010 Dublin Flea Market, Newmarket Square, Dublin

• 2010 “Daydream” Projected Weekends, The Digital Hub, Dublin. Projected on the Walting Street wall of Bank of Ireland

• 2010 “Black Books” book fair as part of the “Out to Lunch” Arts Festival, Belfast

• 2010/2009 “Independents Day” fair, The Food Co-op. Newmarket, Dublin

• 2010/2009 “Summer Edition” independent publishing fair, Filmbase, Dublin

• 2010/2009 “London Zine Symposium”, The Rag Factory, London.

• 2009 Graduate Show, Dublin Institute of Technology, Portland Row, Dublin

• 2009 “Transmission Part 4”, Broadcast Gallery, Portland Row, Dublin

• 2008 “Interim”, Broadstone Gallery, Dublin, curated by Mark Garry

• 2007 “8<20” , The Backloft Gallery, Dublin, curated by Linda Mc Quinlan and Mark Garry

• 2005 Graduate Show, Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Dublin

Dublin City Council | National Gallery of Ireland | Creative Ireland | The Ark | Science Gallery Dublin | Wicklow County Council | Maynooth University | South Dublin County Council | RTE | Meta | National Youth Council of Ireland | Irish Film Institute | Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council | Business to Arts

My work has been featured in:

• The Irish Times

• Sky Atlantic Show 'Urban Secrets'

• The British Museum Book "Feminine Power'

• RTE show 'This is Art Club'

• Leaving Cert Mock Exam Paper 2024

• Junior Cert Art Textbook 'Artventure'

• The Guardian

• Secret Dublin Guide Book

• Sew Magazine

• Craft Ideas Magazine

• Irish Country Living

• Image Magazine

• RTE Guide

• The Herald

• Founder and Organiser of the Dublin Zine Fair -annual independent publishing fair 2011-2015

• Venue & Events Coordinator and Curator at Centre for Creative Practices, May 2013 - February 2015

• Artistic Director and Curator at Ranelagh Arts Centre and Festival 2011-2012

• Publications Intern at Visual Artists Ireland 2011