The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) today announced the winners of the 2025 RDS Arts Awards, celebrating Ireland’s next generation of creative talent, awarding more than €140,000 across visual art, craft, and music. The Awards and prize fund represent a critical investment in the future of Irish culture, ensuring young artists can transition from education to professional practice.
This year’s ceremony was particularly historic, marking the 165th presentation of the prestigious Taylor Art Trust Award with a legacy spanning 165 years and over 590 awards. This €10,000 prize was jointly claimed by artists Clara McSweeney and Vicky Ochala. The RDS Arts Awards, which also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the RDS Visual Art Awards, complements initiatives like the Basic Income for the Arts by providing essential financial support and high-profile opportunities needed for creative talent to flourish.
The arts have been at the heart of the RDS since 1731 and the awards continue that powerful legacy. RDS President John Dardis, speaking at the ceremony, commended the winners “The RDS Foundation Arts Awards serve as investments in creativity, heritage and the future of Irish culture. I would like to take this opportunity to commend all the artists, makers and musicians shortlisted this year, and to thank our dedicated partners, donors, and the generosity of RDS Members, who without, none of this would be possible.”
The RDS also marked six decades of craft support – now with a renewed focus on sustainability – and continued to elevate world-class performance opportunities for emerging classical musicians like Jane Sullivan, winner of the RDS Music Bursary.
Winning and selected works of Emerging and Established Craft Makers were showcased at this year’s Gifted, The Contemporary Art Fair in the RDS , giving invaluable exposure of their work to the wider public.
Winner Spotlight and Judges’ Commendations
Visual Art (RDS Taylor Art Trust Award)
The Taylor Art Trust Award was shared based on exceptional quality:
- Clara McSweeney (IADT): Judges praised her for a ‘beautifully installed, theatrical work’. Her piece, Now Listen Closely, Fellow Humans (2024) uses haunting monologues to explore memory and architecture.
- Vicky Ochala (TU Dublin): Judges admired her ‘strong narrative practice merging the political and the personal’. Her work reflects on socialist ideology and individuality, inspired by her childhood in a Polish housing block.
Other significant winners included Thaís Muniz, Winner of the RDS Mason Hayes & Curran LLP CCI Residency and R.C. Lewis-Crosby Award, whose two-channel piece The Kite Ballet (2024) was lauded for transforming kite flying into a ‘revolutionary act’ addressing environmental issues.
Craft Awards
The RDS marked six decades of craft support, now with a renewed focus on sustainability.
- Emerging Maker: Mark Newman (Goldsmith) Judges praised his work as ‘Conceptually rich and technically accomplished’, noting his unique approach merging goldsmithing with digital design and neuroscience.
- Emerging Maker: Hugo Byrne (Knifemaker) - Hugo ‘Exemplifies sustainability and artistry’ according to judges, creating culinary knives using gathered materials.
- Emerging Maker: Vinh Truong (Ceramicist) - Judges commended Vinh for his ‘Remarkable ability to bridge technology and tradition’, creating minimalist, functional tableware by combining digital fabrication (CAD/3D prototyping) with traditional throwing techniques
- Established Maker: Lorna Donlon (Tapestry Artist) – her tapestries were praised for a ‘Masterful blend of art and science’ combining traditional weaving with her scientific background.
- Established Maker: Jennifer Hickey (Porcelain Sculptor) – judges found her intricate, thousand-piece sculptures to be ‘Breathtaking in their precision and poetry’.
- Established Maker: Céline Traynor (Jeweller) – her minimalist, geometric designs were described as ‘Timeless and sophisticated’. Known internationally for her work including Game of Thrones.
Music Awards
The RDS Music Bursary is one of Ireland’s largest music awards (€15,000).
- Jane Sullivan (Oboist) won the RDS Music Bursary and the RDS Collins Memorial Performance Award. Judges praised her as an ‘exceptional talent – fully in command of her instrument’.
- Senan Sheridan (Pianist) won the RDS Jago Award. Judges called him ‘one to watch’, praising his insight and maturity.
The event was opened by RTÉ Lyric FMs host of The Full Score, Liz Nolan and featured performances by previous winners and finalists including Aidan Chan (RDS Music Award Winner 2023) performing the Irish premiere of Tell Me Again by Ben Nobuto and Adam Buttimer (RDS Music Award Winner, 2023) with works by Martinů, Tartini, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and others.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Visual Art Awards
- RDS Mason Hayes & Curran LLP Centre Culturel Irlandais Residency Award - Thaís Muniz
- RDS Graphic Studio Dublin Emerging Visiting Artist Award - Charlie Dineen
- RHA Graduate Studio Award - Billie Adele O’Regan
- RDS Members' Art Fund Award - Lily Mannion
- R. C. Lewis-Crosby Award - Thaís Muniz
- RDS Taylor Art Trust Award - two winners in 2025 splitting the prize, Clara McSweeney and Vicky Ochala
Music
- RDS Jago Award - Senan Sheridan
- RDS Collins Memorial Performance Award - Jane Sullivan
- RDS Music Bursary - Jane Sullivan
Craft
Emerging Category
- Hugo Byrne
- Mark Newman
- Vinh Truong
Established Category
- Lorna Donlon
- Jennifer Hickey
- Céline Traynor
For further information contact the RDS Communications Team:
Fiona Askin Fiona.askin@rds.ie
Stephen Lee Stephen.lee@rds.ie
