Art to Art – a new series where Irish artists from different disciplines sit down to interview each other about their work- has completed its first season with seven episodes racking up over one million views across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Created by Rebecca Breene and Daniel Breene, the series grew out of a now-closed creative studio in Dublin where the pair had been trying to build a physical gathering space for artists. Two years later, the idea found its form online instead.
The concept is simple and works well. Two artists are paired together, each shares some of their own work, some art that inspired them, and an idea from their notes app. They sit down for a proper conversation – less PR exercise, more genuine exchange. The results are casual, curious and often funny in ways that formal interviews rarely are.
Season 1 was filmed in some of Ireland’s most individual spaces – Dick Mack’s in Dingle and The Big Romance in Dublin in season 1 – and the team have already filmed in London for Season 2 with international artists, as well as partnering with Borderline Festival for a mini-series featuring DEADLETTER, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Art School Girlfriend, Mary In The Junkyard and more.
Here’s what happened across the seven episodes of Season 1:
Episode 1: Paul Banks (Madra Salach) and Iona Lynch (Cliffords)
Two of the most talked-about Irish bands of the last year – Madra Salach and Cliffords – in conversation through their respective members. Paul Banks and Iona Lynch represent two very different sides of what’s happening in Irish music right now, which makes for an interesting pairing from the off.
Episode 2: Joshua Burnside and Jonny Pickett (DUG)
Joshua Burnside is one of the most consistently inventive songwriters working in Ireland. Pairing him with Jonny Pickett of folk Americana duo DUG makes for an episode full of camaraderie.
Episode 3: Kate Gurren (And He, The Fool) and Conor O’Reilly (DUG)
DUG get a second episode through Conor O’Reilly, this time in conversation with Kate Gurren of And He, The Fool, who is also a video director.
Episode 4: Ellius Grace and Junior Brother (Ronan Kealy)
One of the more genuinely unusual pairings of the season – director and photographer Ellius Grace sitting down with Ronan Kealy of Junior Brother. The episode opens up questions about the relationship between visual art and music . It also apparently involves eating rocks and mud and screaming into a microphone on O’Connell Street at an early hour of the morning, which is Junior Brother to a tee.
Episode 5: Dan Hoff (Gurriers) and Amelia Durac (Child of Prague)
Gurriers’ Dan Hoff and Child of Prague’s Amelia Durac – violist and vocalist – make for one of the season’s most contrasting pairings in terms of sound and approach, which is precisely what makes it work.
Episode 6: How I Became A Wave and All Things Eve
Two of the more recent and intriguing voices in Irish music, with How I Became A Wave’s Pat Carey talking to the German Irish-based singer-songwriter.
Episode 7 (Season 1 Finale): Rory Sweeney and Laurence Kapinga (StrangeLove / Negro Impacto)
The season closes with two artists peers Rory Sweeney – whose album Old Earth (featuring Róis, Curtisy, Saoirse Miller and others) was released in late 2025 – sits down with Laurence Kapinga of Negro Impacto and solo project StrangeLove. The conversation covers the origin story of Negro Impacto, the making of Old Earth, the ethics of sampling, whether Spotify creates passive listening, Miley Cyrus, John Lennon, nepo babies (specifically Jaden Smith), and – inevitably – whether yokes should evolve in the same direction as vapes.
Laurence’s inspiration picks for this episode span Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Donny Hathaway, Erika De Casier, Oklou and Sega Bodega, as well as Irish artists including Brogeal, Iona Zajac, Cableboy and April. Rory’s picks include Evian Christ, Björk, Burial, Oneohtrix Point Never, Mica Levi and – in a genuinely relatable addition to any creative process document – doomscrolling and Wikipedia binging simultaneously.
All seven full-length episodes are on the Art to Art YouTube channel now.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
