Clare Langan studied Fine Art at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin and with a Fulbright Scholarship, completed a film workshop at NYU. In 2017 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from The National University of Ireland. In 2019 she became a member of Aosdana. She has represented Ireland in numerous international Biennales, including the 25th Bienal de Sao Paulo, 2002 Brazil; The Liverpool Biennial – International 2002, Tate Liverpool: Sounds and Visions, Art Film and Video from Europe, 2009, Museum of Modern Art, Tel Aviv; Singapore Biennial 2008, curated by Fumio Nanjo touring to Dojima River Biennale 2009, Osaka Japan; Busan Biennale 2010, South Korea. In 2003 Langan presented A Film Trilogy at MoMA in New York and at the RHA, Dublin.

Her films and photographs are in a number of international public and private collections including IMMA, The Arts Council of Ireland, The OPW, the Tony Podesta Private Collection, Washington, and the Hugo and Carla Brown Collection, UK. She has done numerous public art commissions including NUI Maynooth, Castletown House and Rathmines Swimming pool.