Crawford Art Gallery to promote stronger representation of Ireland’s diverse communities

The Crawford Art Gallery is set to benefit from government funding to promote stronger representation of Ireland’s diverse communities.

It comes as Arts Minister Catherine Martin (Green party) announced the acquisition of more than 100 contemporary artworks to the National Collection. This was supported by an allocation of €1.5m - from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - to the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Crawford Art Gallery. The purpose of the award was to respond to significant gaps identified in the collections of the national cultural institutions.

New additions will take the form of paintings, sculptures, photography and installations. Digital media works and textiles are also part of the collection which features Irish and international artists. The acquisitions, inspired by pressing issues such as climate change, diversity and global migration, will ensure that seminal artists previously missing from the National Collection are represented. They come on foot of a €1m fund provided to Crawford Art Gallery and IMMA in 2020 for the acquisition of artworks to support Irish artists during the covid-19 pandemic.

Minister Martin described the importance of diversity in the art world.

“It is critical that our national collection speaks to Irish audiences about the issues that matter now. 

"This significant investment in acquisitions at IMMA and the Crawford delivers on that need and strengthens the holdings of both institutions. 

"It is heartening to see generations of artists finally find their home in the Collection and to see the complexity and diversity of our nation reflected in these exciting works."

Meanwhile, Director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Annie Fletcher reiterated her gratitude to Minister Catherine Martin.

“The impact of this acquisitions funding cannot be underestimated. It has re-focused and reinvigorated the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s resolute determination to build a vital, accessible and ambitious world class Collection for Ireland. 

We recognise and sincerely thank Minister Martin’s commitment to the arts and for her Department’s support in realising these strategic aims with our valued colleagues in the Crawford Art Gallery. This important injection of funding matches our ambitions and commitment to make IMMA a significant site and resource of Irish and international artwork for the Irish public now and into the future."