Artists have shaped, reflected and led Irish society over the past one hundred years. This programme strand acknowledged this vital role by celebrating our emergent Next Generation Artists.

Established in 2016, the Next Generation Artists’ Award was initiated to support promising artists across all disciplines at an early but pivotal stage in their careers, as part of the ART:2016 programme.

The final year’s awardees were announced in summer 2023. This brought the total number of artists recognised as Next Generation Artists to 178, all of whom were invited to participate in a symposium in November 2023 that reflected on the role of artists in Irish society since the foundation of the state.

A publication to celebrate the recipients of the Next Generation Artists' Award was published in March 2024, with all 178 artists invited to contribute. The publication was edited by Niamh Dunphy and designed by Atelier.