Members
Our Members Area gives information on how to join VAI, the benefits, as well as access to your Membership account, including renewals, members’ galleries, webinars archive, and access to our discount scheme and discounted members’ events.
Resources
Our Resource section is full of helpful advice on the wide range of topics that constitute an artist’s career and practice. As well as information on best practice, we offer details on our advocacy areas and guides, as well as an online Payments Calculator.
Publications
Our publications section includes subscribing to our weekly eBulletins, as well as information on our bi-monthly Visual Artists News Sheet, our online archive, and how to advertise in the eBulletin and The Visual Artists News Sheet.
Visual Artists Ireland
Vision: We dare to dream of a time when visual artists will live in a world of opportunities.
Mission: Our Mission is to create a trusted space where visual artists are valued and have access to supports and knowledge that enable them to develop at all stages of their professional career.
COVID-19 VAI Status
Our physical offices are closed in Dublin and Belfast, but we are continuing to delivery our Advocacy, Advice, Lifelong Learning, and Information Provision online, by email, or in the case of the Visual Artists News Sheet either online or delivered by post to all members.
Our mainline number can be used to make contact as normal, and all of our email addresses and online forms are still being monitored and responded too. We recommend compliance at all times to Government advice and continue to be the voice of artists to the government and funding bodies during this time. You can find out more about our online events in the VAI Events section, and through the eBulletins which are still operating twice weekly. We are delivering regular networking and information events as part of our wider learning and skills programme. These also include online Help Desks which are supported by our Help Line which is still operating.
Latest Updates
Latest news, events, and jobs and opportunities, click headings to view all.
Call for Participants | Youth Programme Survey, Void Gallery, Derry
Void Gallery is delighted to be working in partnership with intern and artist facilitator, Zoe McSparron, in the creation of their new Youth Programme. This programme is aimed at persons aged 14-20 and will create an encouraging and creative space where participants will explore their personal and collective creativity. While developing their individual creativity, members…
Open Call | ZUKUNFTSVISIONEN Residency, Görlitz, Germany
The ZUKUNFTSVISIONEN Festival for Contemporary Arts 2021 is looking for resident artists! The Festival will take place in Görlitz from the 21-30 May 2021. The title of this year’s festival is: Ohne Gewähr – No Guarantees Applications: Anyone can apply; both solo artists and groups are welcome. Applications from all genres are welcome. The only conditions for…
Open Call | ZUKUNFTSVISIONEN Exhibition, Görlitz, Germany
The ZUKUNFTSVISIONEN Festival for Contemporary Arts 2021 is looking for exhibiting artists. The Festival will take place in Görlitz from the 21-30 May 2021. The title of this year’s festival is: Ohne Gewähr – No Guarantees Applications: Anyone can apply; both solo artists and groups are welcome Applications in the following categories are welcome: painting, drawing, graphic…
Open Call | Collaborative Projects for LABOR-Bivouac, Switzerland
This international open call for Bivouac is a public event that will take place on the La Rasude site from 4 to 27 June 2021. Eight artists and architects will create installations inspired by the potential of the site, its constraints and possible uses. The people of Lausanne will be invited to discover the works…
VAI Webinar | Thinking Outside the Box (11 Feb)
CREATING AND CURATING SPACES (THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX) One of the most common questions we get is “how can I get an exhibition?” Networking and building a relationship with galleries is important but may take several years to pay off. Open calls might only select 10% of submissions. The approach we will look at here…
VAI Webinar | Visual Artists Help Desk with Shelly McDonnell
Do you have an area in your practice you need help with or would just like some advice on where to go next? Artists can book a Help Desk session that will be held online. These Help Desks will be free of charge for Members and Non Members for the duration of the current crisis.…
VAI Webinar | Visual Artists Café – Artist Led Initiatives (2 Feb.)
‘What is an artist led initiative? How are they established? And what are the benefits of working this way? We explore the ups and downs, high and lows, the nuts and bolts with some of Ireland’s leading working examples. This week’s Visual Artists Café is in collaboration with South Dublin County Council Arts Office. We will welcome…
VAI Webinar | Visual Artists’ Café – Show & Tell – Event (Focus: Co. Wicklow based artists)
This Visual Artists’ Café will put our Co. Wicklow based members in the spotlight in a ‘show & tell’ format. Featured will be 6 artists giving 6 different snapshots of the Wicklow based Visual Artist in 2020 and beyond; work, motivations, challenges and acclimation. What we experienced. What we learned. We hope you can join…
Meditative Monitor | Kurb Junki Online Exhibition
01/01/2021 – 31/03/2021 @ – Meditative Monitor is an online exhibition that presents a series of paintings through a video piece which acts as an exhibition simulation while also highlighting concerns around freedom, restrictions, our attention span and our relationship with the internet. Kurb Junki is an Irish artist who has a long standing relationship with graffiti and skateboarding culture […]
SOURCE Photographic Review Issue 103 – ‘Life Stories’ Online Launch
04/02/2021 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Celebrating the launch of Source Issue 103 ‘Life Stories’. Editor Richard West speaks to contributors Nik Roche and Dr Annebella Pollen. Join us to celebrate the launch of the latest issue of Source Photographic Review: Issue 103 – ‘Life Stories’. Featuring live interviews with photographer Nik Roche Dr Annebella Pollen (author of our Flea Market Photobook […]
Out Building | John Kennedy, Marilin North and John O’Reilly at The Source Arts Centre, Thurles
12/03/2021 – 24/04/2021 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 am – ‘Out Building’ – A group show with Artists John Kennedy, Marilin North and John O’Reilly, curated by The Source Arts Centre and looking at depictions of functional, prefabricated or kit-built rural and urban buildings that have a perception of having a low-architectural value. Notwithstanding their design qualities, buildings have a perceived value other than their […]
In Conversation: Tess Leak and Sarah Cairns – New Pathways to Connect
26/01/2021 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – artsandhealth.ie is launching a new bi-monthly Arts & Health Conversation Series in 2021. Arts practitioners and healthcare professionals will provide in-depth insights into arts and health projects and discuss hot button topics including the possibilities and challenges of working in a shifting health landscape. For our first conversation, artist Tess Leak and Activities Director Sarah […]
Arts Council Northern Ireland publishes findings from its 2019/20 Annual Funding Survey
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland today published findings from a survey of 97 arts and culture organisations in receipt of funding through its Annual Funding Programme. The survey collects data on organisation staffing, financial statements (income and expenditure), numbers of performances, participation based events, exhibitions and festivals. It also records details of known and…
Minister Martin Announces Payment of Additional €1.9m to the Arts Council
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, announced that she has approved the payment of an additional €1.9m to the Arts Council. This funding is in addition to previously additional allocations of €25 million to the Arts Council which was designed to help alleviate the effects on the arts…
Arrangements in place to pay PUP to people who lose their job between now and the New Year
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, TD, announced that arrangements are in place to process new applications made by people for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment over the Christmas period. Minister Humphreys informed today’s Cabinet meeting of the measures that she has put in place to ensure that those who require PUP income support will,…
Maeve Mulrennan Joins Cork County Council Arts Office
Cork County Council Arts Office are delighted to welcome Maeve Mulrennan who has joined as Assistant Arts Officer. In this role she will be working with the Library and Arts Services team to develop and produce creative engagement opportunities for people living in the County. This will include the Cork County Creative Ireland Programme and…