Irelands largest and longest running exhibition of visual art,the RHA Annual Exhibition, returns for its 191^st year!

We invite you to view works by 391 artists working in paint, sculpture, drawing, print, photography and architecture, when the 191^st RHA Annual exhibition opens to the public, with free admission, from Monday 27 September. A high point of Ireland’s cultural calendar, this exhibition has proven to be a great opportunity for both first time and experienced buyers alike.

Visitors can view works by Academy Members, invited artists and works by artists who were successful in the very competitive open submission process. This year, the RHA saw a total of 3900 works of art submitted from which, following a very rigorous 2 rounds of selection, 323 works were accepted and will be exhibited throughout all gallery spaces at the RHA.

With a generous prize fund of over €70,000 across a variety of medium, the RHA Annual Exhibition attracts the highest calibre of artists, working today. Prizes include; The RCSI Art Award in association with The Irish Times, €5,000 prize and €10,000 commission, The Ireland – U.S. Council and Irish Arts Review Portraiture Award of €5,000 and The ESB Keating Award for Outstanding Art Work, Silver Medal and prize of €3,000, amongst others.

We are also delighted to introduce the new Anita Young Bursary for a Mid-Career Painter in Association with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and the RHA. In commemoration of Anita Young, the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and the RHA have established this bursary in honour of the time she spent at the Centre. This bursary includes a two-week residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre with accommodation, studio and travel costs, within Ireland.

This year, five exhibiting artists will also be short-listed by the Hennessy Craig Jury to exhibit alongside the five short-listed artists from the 2020 Annual Exhibition. The recipient of the The Hennessy Craig Award – Bequest of the estate of Patrick Hennessy and Henry Robertson Craig – of €20,000 will be announced in 2022. The Award is open to any painter under the age of thirty-five exhibiting in the open submission section of the Academy’s Annual Exhibition. The painter must have studied at a recognised art college on the island of Ireland.

We will be implementing HSE / NSAI required protocols for the safety and comfort of all our visitors and staff and ask that you wear a mask during your visit. Thank you for your understanding on this matter. Your safety is our priority.

For Tours of RHA’s 191st Annual Exhibition, led by Members of the Academy and RHA Staff, See HERE

For Family Drawing Tours of the 191st RHA Annual Exhibition, See HERE