The studio group has come a long way since it was set-up in a cold and draughty warehouse on Back Watercourse Road in Blackpool in 1989. In those days the arts infrastructure of the city was in the rudimentary stages of its development. Whilst artists did live and work in the city, not many graduates embraced the artistic life or even believed the idea of a shared group studio model was possible. It was the Cork Artists Collective who blazed the trail for future studio set-ups in the city. Inspired by their initiative, four young graduates of Crawford College of Art & Design Deirdra Nolan, Tina Cronin, Éilis Ní Fhaoláin and Christopher Samuels established Backwater Artists Group.

The group first rented a space at Watercourse Road Industrial Estate in 1990 but moved a year later to 12 Pine Street and 3 Devonshire Street increasing their capacity to 30 artists. The artists then focused on securing a permanent home so representations were made to Cork Corporation to acquire a building. In 1995 the City Manager of Cork agreed to assist in the purchase of a premises that would house both Backwater and Cork Printmakers, provided that the Arts Council and the Department of Arts, Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht funded the necessary renovations. A premises was finally identified and in 1997 Minister Michael D. Higgins announced the success of an application for CDIS funds. With additional funds from the Arts Council everything was in place and by 1999 the studios on Wandesford Quay were finally complete.

The story behind the group reveals many years of patient and dedicated work, vision and determination by our founding members. Their vision was to not only create a space for themselves but for a community of artists. They had the foresight to negotiate a long term lease (99 years) with Cork City Council. This and other structures put in place at the time ensures that the studios can continue to grow and develop to this day.