RHA Gallery – RHA E-bulletin
A Message from Abigail O’Brien PRHA,
I am sure you are waiting for news of our much loved Annual Exhibition, with baited breath. I wish I could give you some concrete news but all I can tell you at the moment, is that the show will happen. All dates are written in pencil but we are hoping to open our doors in September and will greatly look forward to welcoming you then.
Society is becoming increasingly visual, particularly with developments in social media and technology. Technology has meant that this year, the first year of the digital selection process, could not have been more timely. We selected from a record breaking 4,200 entries, choosing 650+ shortlisted works to be viewed by the selection panel as soon as the Artists can safely bring them to the RHA.
Six Academy Members spent a full week looking at each Artists’ submission. The panel come with different strengths and knowledge. The conversation is mighty and it was a great honour to be part of the selection. We are very conscious that shortlisted Artists are having a much longer than normal wait, to hear whether they are selected following the 2nd phase of selection. We understand that this is very difficult and we hope the wait won’t be too much longer.
While acknowledging the important addition of the works from the open submission, many of the artists showing in the Annual, are Members, invited Artists and Architects. We have always found that the inclusion of invited Artists and Architects gives the exhibition a very strong punch. We are grateful for everyone’s participation. More than 4,000 Artists have shown their work in the Academy’s prestigious setting, to almost half a million people over the past 12 years. The RHA Annual also offers Artists a prize fund of €63,000 – the largest in Ireland.
You hardly need me to tell you that Ireland is a very small market. In the past 10 years, one-quarter of Dublin’s art galleries have closed. As a result, the traditional route to market for Artists is becoming more difficult and the RHA Annual Exhibition, has grown in importance, as an opportunity to be selected, showcased in the highest quality setting and sold. Selling work keeps the lights on and pays the studio rent. Something which is becoming increasingly difficult as surging prices in Dublin and other cities push Artists out to remote locations, an enormous loss to the cultural life of this City. Thus making our central location as a showcase and advocate for the visual arts even more important.
On this note, we thank most sincerely, IPUT, who have sponsored three new, fully funded studios in Wilton Park, bringing the RHA’s studio spaces to nine.
I would like to thank everyone who has put their time, heart and soul into the manifestation of our 190th Annual. Let me assure you that the RHA staff and the technical team are ready to rock, as soon as our doors can open. Thank you also to our Patrons, Supporters and Friends. We are very grateful for your messages of support. May I also mention the Arts Council of Ireland and acknowledge their consistent endorsement.
I look forward to meeting you all, your families and friends, when we do reopen. We will have a fantastic celebration of everyone’s work and no doubt it will be all the sweeter after this difficult time.
Stay safe and well,
Abigail O’Brien PRHA
President of the RHA
