The Arts Council is delighted to announce that 90 new artworks by 48 artists have been added to its Collection to be shared with audiences across Ireland.
As it prepares to mark its 70th anniversary next year the Arts Council is pleased to be able to continue delivering on its commitment to support and champion the work of artists by ensuring that their work can be experienced and enjoyed by the public.
These new purchases showcasing the excellence of contemporary Irish visual arts, represent the largest number of artworks acquired for the Collection in a single year since its establishment in 1962 and bring the total number of works in the Collection to almost 1,300.
The artworks newly added to the collection are by artists who live and work in communities both across Ireland and internationally. The acquisitions include drawing, installation, performance, painting, print, photography, sculpture and video.
Announcing the purchases, Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council said:
"The Arts Council is delighted to continue the work of the Collection through the acquisition of a range of exciting, ambitious work by a wonderful group of artists. The work included here shows the ambition and breadth of practice in Ireland’s visual arts currently, and we look forward to sharing these works with the public on whose behalf the Collection is developed. In both supporting artists and engaging the public, this work delivers on the Arts Council’s key priorities in its 10 year strategy Making Great Art Work: Leading the Development of the Arts"
These new artworks will be accessible to diverse public audiences throughout the country as part of the Arts Council Collection’s ongoing programme of exhibitions, loans and initiatives.
The artists added to the Collection are: David Beattie, Helen Blake, Elaine Byrne, Myrid Carten, Elizabeth Cope, Mark Curran, Miriam de Búrca, Dorje De Burgh, Vanessa Donoso López, Eleanor Duffin, Gabhan Dunne, Stephen Dunne, Clodagh Emoe, Kate Fahey, Brian Fay, Laura Fitzgerald, Marie Holohan, Patrick Hough, Austin Ivers, Allyson Keehan, Jonah King, John Lalor, Jialin Long, Breda Lynch, Colm Mac Athlaoich, Ann Maree Barry, Ann Maria Healy, Jonathan Mayhew, Jan McCullough, Leanne McDonagh, Kevin Mooney, Laura Ni Fhlaibhin, Doireann Ní Ghrioghair, Paul Nugent, Mandy O'Neill, Alison Pilkington, Vera Ryklova, Katherine Sankey, Rajinder Singh, Padraig Spillane, Mark Swords, Cliodhna Timoney, Suzanne Walsh, Katie Watchorn, Tommy Weir, Lee Welch, Róisín White and Emma Wolf Haugh
Purchases are overseen by the Collection Acquisitions Committee: Aideen Barry - Artist, Caroline Cowley - Public Art Co–ordinator: Fingal Arts, Dónall Curtin (Chair) - Arts Council member, Eoin Dara - Head of Exhibitions: Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dragana Jurišić - Artist, Mark O’Kelly - Artist/Arts Council member, Atoosa Pour Hosseini - Artist and Jillian van Turnhout - Arts Council member.
Further information on the Arts Council Collection can be found on our website and full details on the new acquisitions made in 2021 can be downloaded here.
←Return to the news