RDS Visual Art Awards
The RDS Visual Art Awards celebrate emerging visual artists and support artists at a pivotal stage in their careers. Each year, independent curators visit graduate exhibitions across Ireland to identify artists whose work demonstrates originality, ambition and potential.
RDS Visual Art Awards 2026
The RDS Visual Art Awards provide emerging artists with an opportunity to exhibit their work, reach new audiences and gain valuable exposure at an important stage in their careers.
For the 2026 Awards, six independent curators visited graduate exhibitions across Ireland in April, May and June, selecting 12 artists whose practices reflect the breadth and diversity of contemporary visual art in Ireland.
The selected artists work across painting, sculpture, photography, film, installation, textiles, sound and socially engaged practice.
Prize fund: €32,500
Prizes include: RDS Taylor Art Award | R.C. Lewis Crosby Award | RDS Mason Hayes & Curran LLP Centre Culturel Irlandais Residency Award | RDS Members’ Fund Artist Studio Award
Exhibition: 6 November 2026 – 23 January 2027
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Location: Gallery at RDS, Simmonscourt Road
A New Space for Visual Art
The RDS Visual Art Awards 2026 exhibition will open Gallery at RDS to the public for the first time.
Located on Simmonscourt Road, Gallery at RDS is a new two-storey exhibition space providing a dedicated setting for visual art, exhibitions, learning and public engagement.
The inaugural exhibition marks a new chapter in the RDS’s visual arts programme and creates a dedicated space for audiences to engage with emerging contemporary art.
Meet the Artists 2026
The 2026 RDS Visual Art Awards exhibition will be the inaugural exhibition at Gallery at RDS, bringing together 12 emerging artists selected from graduate exhibitions across Ireland.
The exhibition showcases a diverse range of contemporary visual art practices, offering audiences an opportunity to discover new work and encounter the next generation of Irish visual artists.
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Six independent curators visited graduate exhibitions across Ireland in April, May and June 2026 to identify artists whose work demonstrated originality, ambition and potential.
The curatorial team comprised Teresa Crowley, Noémie Cursoux, Rachael Gilbourne, Davey Moor, Aoife Ruane and Georgie Thompson.
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- Rachel Joynt
- Christina Kennedy
- Paul McAree
- Sarah McAuliffe
- Patrick Murphy
RDS Visual Art Awards Prizes
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The RDS Taylor Art Award is the premier prize of the RDS Visual Art Awards, presented to the artist judged to be the most outstanding emerging visual artist of the year.
Established in 1860, the award has supported generations of Irish artists and forms part of the legacy of the Taylor Art Trust, founded following a bequest from Captain George Archibald Taylor to promote art and industry in Ireland. Previous recipients include many of Ireland’s most celebrated artists, making it one of the country’s most prestigious awards for emerging visual artists.
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Residency and support package
Sponsored by Mason Hayes & Curran LLP, this award offers an emerging artist the opportunity to undertake a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris.
Supporting international exchange, professional development and artistic exploration, the residency provides dedicated time, space and financial support within an international cultural environment.
The award also includes additional support upon the artist’s return to Ireland, helping them build on the connections, learning and opportunities gained in Paris and further develop their professional practice.
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The R.C. Lewis Crosby Award recognises excellence and promise in contemporary visual art practice.
Established through a bequest from Robin Lewis-Crosby, former President of the RDS and a long-serving Taylor Art Trustee, the award reflects his lifelong commitment to the arts and support for emerging artists. Originally created as a painting prize, it was expanded in 2015 to include all visual art disciplines, reflecting the diversity of contemporary practice.
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Supported by the RDS Members’ Fund, this award provides an emerging artist with dedicated studio space and a financial stipend to support the development of their practice.
Recognising the importance of time, space and stability at a pivotal stage in an artist’s career, the award enables recipients to focus on creating new work while benefiting from professional development opportunities and engagement with the wider visual arts community.
For 2026, the studio component is delivered in partnership with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). The recipient receives a dedicated studio at the RHA for one year, alongside mentoring and professional development opportunities.
The award is designed to remain flexible and responsive to artists’ needs, allowing the RDS to collaborate with different partners over time while continuing to provide meaningful support for emerging artists.
Past Winners
Discover previous recipients of the RDS Visual Art Awards and explore the artists supported by the programme over the years.