Leanne McDonagh | Kathleen | 2017 | Pigment on Copper House Photo Rag | 55.8 x 76 cm

For Culture night 2022 the Arts Council will maintain its proud tradition of showcasing a selection of works recently added to its extensive Visual Art Collection.

This year we are delighted to once again welcome audiences to share these works in person at the Arts Council’s buildings in Dublin as part of Culture night.

Works by many of Irelands most distinguished and celebrated artists will be shown on the night including recently acquired pieces by: Helen Blake, Vivienne Dick, Eleanor Duffin, Paul Hallahan, Andreas Kindler Von Knobloch, Vera Klute, Colm Mac Athlaoich, Leanne McDonagh, Rajinder Singh, Kathy Tynan, Suzanne Walsh and Marcel Vidal.

The works on show from the Collection showcase the Arts Councils ongoing commitment to purchasing excellent and ambitious works of art which reflect the amazing standard of contemporary Irish visual arts practice and which both engage with and represent Ireland today.

In addition to the artworks on display in Merrion Square on the night the Arts Council Collection can also be seen throughout the country as part of ongoing exhibitions and long term display in public buildings such as hospitals, universities and schools.

For those who won’t be able to visit in person on the night we are sharing some insight on each of the artist and artworks which will be on display:

‘Kathleen’ is part of a larger body of work, ‘Accommodate vs Assimilate’, made by artist Leanne McDonagh in response to the Carrickmines tragedy of October 2015, when a fire broke out at a halting site in South County Dublin, claiming the lives of ten people, including a young pregnant mother.

“Traveller accommodation had long been something that was swept under the carpet by those who have the power and ability to make changes for the better. However, it was the aftermath that followed Carrickmines that was the turning point for me, and I created this body of work to try and create awareness around the wider issues of accommodation within the community.” – Leanne McDonagh

Leanne McDonagh is a Traveller woman born in 1990 and the fifth child of ten children. At school, she excelled at art and was strongly encouraged by her teachers to fulfil her potential. McDonagh began practicing art at Crawford College of Art & Design in 2007 and five years later she graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Art, as well as a Higher Diploma in Art & Design Education. As a visual artist, she feels she has a unique opportunity to represent and record her community from within’

Since 1962, the Arts Council has been buying art from working artists. The Collection that evolved tells the story of modern and contemporary Irish visual art in a unique and fascinating way. Today the Collection continues to grow and its almost 1,300 paintings, sculptures and other works are on display in public spaces all over Ireland for people to experience and enjoy first hand.

Explore the Collection and more on our website here.