IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art) today (13 July 2026) announced the appointment of two new members to the Senior Management team – Lisa Fitzsimons as Chief Operating Officer and Eleanor Paice as Head of Visitor Experience and Security

Welcoming the appointments IMMA Director Annie Fletcher said “I am delighted to welcome Lisa and Eleanor to IMMA’s Senior Management Team at a moment of significant opportunity and ambition for the museum. Both bring exceptional leadership, expertise and a deep commitment to public engagement, and they will play a vital role in shaping IMMA’s next chapter.

Over recent years, our team has driven a remarkable transformation across the organisation, strengthening IMMA’s role as a leading cultural institution. As we look to the future, we are committed to building on that momentum, ensuring that art continues to inspire creativity, dialogue and positive change in society. Lisa and Eleanor’s appointments strengthen our capacity to deliver that vision and deepen IMMA’s impact for audiences, artists and communities across Ireland and beyond.”

Lisa Fitzsimons brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience across public cultural institutions and international organisations. She has worked at executive level with responsibility for strategy, communications, finance, governance, risk and organisational change across complex, multi-stakeholder environments. Since joining IMMA in January 2023, she has developed deep institutional knowledge, progressing from Acting Head of Audiences & Development to Strategy & Sustainability Lead, where she has been instrumental in developing and implementing IMMA’s five-year strategic plan and leading delivery of the museum’s flagship Earth Rising festival. Her approach to leadership is grounded in institution-building, translating strategic ambition into operational reality through strong systems, talented people, and disciplined delivery.

Responding to her appointment Fitzsimons said “IMMA is a remarkable organisation, with real clarity about its purpose and an ambitious vision for what that means, not just for art, but for Ireland’s cultural, social, and civic life. What excites me most about taking on this role is the talented team already here and the opportunity to help translate that vision into reality through the systems, partnerships, and strategic work that enable long-term institutional impact. As cultural infrastructure, IMMA plays an essential role across education, wellbeing, inclusion, and climate action. I feel genuinely privileged to help steward that responsibility in the coming years.”

With fifteen years’ experience in the cultural and heritage sector, Eleanor Paice has built a career leading visitor experience, operations, events, and retail across some of the UK’s most prominent historic houses and visitor attractions. She has a proven track record of managing large teams, delivering exceptional visitor experiences, and driving innovation across customer service, accessibility, and operational strategy. Her leadership combines a commitment to public engagement with extensive experience in safety, visitor experience, and organisational excellence, bringing a deep understanding of how to balance the needs of audiences, collections, and historic environments. Alongside a professional career, Eleanor has also served on the trustee boards of independent museums and as a governor at LVS Oxford, a specialist school for children and young people with autism, reflecting a longstanding commitment to governance, inclusion, and public service.

Responding to her appointment Paice said “I’m thrilled to be joining IMMA at such an exciting time for the museum, as it continues to grow its audiences and develop new ways of engaging people with contemporary art. Having spent my career creating welcoming and meaningful visitor experiences in heritage settings, I’m excited by the opportunity to bring that experience to a leading contemporary art institution that places creativity, accessibility, and public engagement at the heart of everything it does. I’m particularly looking forward to working with the IMMA team to ensure that every visitor feels welcomed, inspired, and connected to the museum and its programmes, while helping shape experiences that connect people with art in new and meaningful ways.”

13 July 2026

– ENDS –

For further information and images please contact:
Monica Cullinane E:[email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E:[email protected] T: 086 2009957

 

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is proud to present Technologies of Peace: Art and Transition in Contemporary Europe (1989–2026), a speculative exhibition bringing together researchers, artists, thinkers, and curators from across Europe to critically examine one of the defining challenges of our time: the question of peace.

At a moment marked by ongoing wars, geopolitical instability, social fragmentation, and the constant circulation of conflict through media and culture, conflict is frequently aestheticised, analysed, and consumed. Peace, by contrast, is rarely afforded the same sustained attention. Yet it is precisely now amid escalating global tensions and deepening uncertainty that the complexity, fragility, and transformative potential of peace is asserted.

Drawing on artistic, political, and social perspectives across Europe, including Greece, Poland, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UK, Kosovo, and Croatia, the exhibition features work by artists including Marina Abramović, Petrit Halilaj, Goshka Macuga, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Claudia Pagès Rabal, Christodoulos Panayiotou, Indrė Šerpytytė, and Slavs and Tatars. It considers peace not as a fixed condition or end point, but as an active process of negotiation, maintenance, and collective imagination. Within the context of the island of Ireland’s recent history, the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 offers a powerful example of a landmark manifestation of peace. It is an ongoing process; one that continues to require care, compromise, and vigilance.

The exhibition uses five chapters to examine the outcomes and approaches: Technologies of Peace, Language & Translation, Trauma & Reverberation, Ecology & Architecture, and Imagining Futures. It Illustrates how cultural expression can act as a powerful tool for civic repair; and presents a hopeful and constructive counter-narrative, reaffirming Europe’s potential for critical reflection, solidarity, and transformation through the arts.

Participating artists include: Marina Abramović, Ileana Arnaoutou, Nika Autor, Aleksandar Battista Ilić in collaboration with Ivana Keser and Tomislav Gotovac, Alán Carrasco, Jasmina Cibic, Lana Čmajčanin, Fábio Colaço, Phil Collins, Rita Duffy, Petros Efstathiadis, Andrea Geyer, Igor Grubić, Petrit Halilaj, Anthony Haughey, Saskia Holmkvist, Sanja Iveković, Dragana Jurišić, Šejla Kamerić, Barbara Knežević, Siniša Labrović, Nicolas Lambouris, Latent Community, Manolis D. Lemos, Goshka Macuga, Emily McFarland, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Petros Moris, Locky Morris, Vlad Nancă, Eleni Odysseos, Claudia Pagès Rabal, Christodoulos Panayiotou, Karol Radziszewski, María Ruido, Edita Schubert, Driton Selmani, Indrė Šerpytytė, Slavs and Tatars, Mladen Stilinović, Kostis Velonis, and Vangelis Vlahos.

The IMMA permanent Collection forms a central part of the exhibition, with key works by Willie Doherty, Frances Hegarty, Sandra Johnston, Alastair MacLennan, Mairéad McClean, William McKeown, Paul Seawright, Anne Tallentire and Cathy Wilkes. Also included are works by Ursula Burke, Amanda Dunsmore, and Glenn Loughran participants in the Dwell Here Residency Programme at IMMA.

Living Canvas at IMMA, Europe’s largest digital outdoor art screen presented at IMMA by IPUT Real Estate, will feature film works by artists Marina Abramović, Nika Autor, Jasmina Cibic, Mairéad McClean, and Petros Moris.

The exhibition forms part of a major five-year research initiative led by IMMA exploring Technologies of Peace through exhibitions, artist residencies, symposia, co-commissions, research, and publications between 2025 and 2030. The programme examines the central role artistic practice and cultural experience play in healing societies, fostering reconciliation, and building a shared sense of identity and community.

Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said: “At a moment when Europe is confronting profound political, social and cultural challenges, Technologies of Peace invites us to consider peace not as a fixed achievement, but as a continuous practice that must be nurtured, negotiated and renewed. Bringing together artists from across Europe whose work emerges from histories of conflict, transition and democratic spaces for reflection, dialogue and understanding. 

As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026, Technologies of Peace offers a timely opportunity to situate Ireland’s own experience of political transition, reconciliation, and peacebuilding within a wider European context. It highlights the shared histories and interconnected futures that bind European societies together, while recognising the different paths through which communities have navigated division, memory and change.”

The exhibition will be accompanied by a new publication, launching to coincide with an international Technologies of Peace symposium taking place 3 – 4 December 2026. An expanded research exhibition will follow in 2028 examining peace in the global context.

1 July 2026

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:
Monica Cullinane E: [email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E: [email protected] T: 086 2009957

Additional Notes for Editors 

Exhibition details:
Technologies of Peace: Art and Transition in Contemporary Europe (1989 – 2026)
12 September 2026 – 9 May 2027
Admission free. Webpage: Technologies of Peace: Art and Transition in Contemporary Europe (1989 – 2026)

Opening Hours :
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10am – 5.30pm
Wednesday: 11.30am – 5.30pm
Sunday: 12noon – 5.30pm
Bank Holiday Mondays: 12noon – 5.30pm

 

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) under its Transport for Ireland (TFI) brand, today Monday 22 June 2026, unveils a striking new mobile artwork bringing contemporary art to the streets of Dublin.

The artwork, titled Art in Motion: Routes and Roots, is created by artist Alberta Whittle and has been developed in collaboration with poet Dagogo Hart and community writers group The Poetry Vigilantes, part of Dublin 8’s Fatima Groups United.

The vibrant artwork wraps one of TFI’s buses, transforming the familiar public transport vehicle into a moving canvas. Across the bus the artwork displays fragments of an original poem created by The Poetry Vigilantes working with Whittle and Hart. The poetry is combined with imagery in Alberta Whittle’s signature style, featuring the hands of the community participants and yarrow, a perennial wildflower native to Ireland.

The Art in Motion: Routes and Roots bus will operate across several routes of the TFI network in Dublin, bringing a burst of creativity to the capital. Each day, thousands of passengers and many more who see the bus along the network will encounter art in a fresh and unexpected way. This collaboration highlights the power of partnership in making contemporary art a visible and accessible part of the city’s daily movement, reaching communities across Dublin.

Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said: “It is incredibly exciting to see this IMMA bus take to the streets of Dublin. This radically public artwork tells a story about the lived experience of one of our city’s communities. It celebrates the power of collective voices, inspired by how public transport can connect our communities and create a sense of belonging through the familiar routes of our streets, shared memories of place and our journeys together”.

Art in Motion: Routes and Roots underscores IMMA’s commitment to expanding access to art and connecting with audiences beyond the Museum’s walls. Through this collaboration with Transport for Ireland (TFI), contemporary art becomes woven into the city’s everyday rhythm, bringing colour, language, and imagination to the streets of Dublin.

22 June 2026

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:
Monica Cullinane E: [email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E: [email protected] T: 086 2009957

Additional Notes for Editors

About Alberta Whittle
B. 1980; Bridgetown Barbados; lives and works in Glasgow, Scotland. Barbadian-Scottish. Whittle’s multifaceted practice is preoccupied with developing a personal response to the legacies of the Atlantic slave trade, unpicking its connections to institutional racism, white supremacy and climate emergency in the present. Against an oppressive political background Whittle aims to foreground hope and engage with different forms of resistance. Whittle received her MFA from the Glasgow School of Art (2011); PhD at the University of Edinburgh (2024); and is currently a Research Associate at The University of Johannesburg. She has exhibited and performed in various solo and group shows internationally and represented Scotland in the 59th Venice Biennale (2022). She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Margaret Tait Award winner (2018/19); a Turner Bursary, Frieze Artist Award and Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award (2020); and Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists (2022).

About Dagogo Hart
Dagogo Hart is a Nigerian-Irish writer, poet, and theatre-maker based in Ireland. His work spans poetry, theatre, film, and education, rooted in performance but designed to resonate beyond the stage. He has featured on everything from TV to film and bar basements, led poetry workshops and showcases across Ireland and West Africa, and is author of Lantern Smoke, 2025, a children’s book with Gill Books. His acclaimed play MMANWU explores grief and cultural identity, while his new play PALMFIST continues his powerful interrogation of masculinity, violence, and vulnerability. Hart is also co-founder of WeAreGriot, a collection committed to platforming Black Irish voices through performance poetry, storytelling, and collaboration.

About Fatima Groups United
Fatima Groups United Family Resource Centre represents residents and community projects in Fatima and Herberton, Dublin 8. Since 1995, FGU has supported the physical and social regeneration of the area. FGU provides services in health, wellbeing, education, employment, arts, childcare, counselling, family support, information, advice, and advocacy. Fatima Poetry Vigilantes is a poetry group organised by Fatima Groups United. They won the Creative Lives Ireland Award in 2022 for Dance Til Dán, a film celebrating community through poetry and dance. They organise frequent Poetry Cafés and Poetry Trains.

About National Transport Authority / Transport For Ireland
The National Transport Authority (NTA) is a statutory non-commercial body, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport. Established in 2009, the NTA’s core function is around the planning, development and funding of sustainable transport modes, public transport and active travel on a national basis. NTA’s remit also extends to the regulation of commercial bus services, as well as the Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) sector and vehicle clamping.

Transport for Ireland (TFI) is the public-facing brand of the NTA, used to deliver and promote Ireland’s integrated public transport network across bus, rail, TFI Luas and active travel services.

About IMMA
Founded in 1991, IMMA is Ireland’s National Cultural Institution for Modern and Contemporary Art located in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Its vibrant, bold, and diverse programme comprises exhibitions, commissions, and event-based projects by leading Irish and international artists, as well as a rich engagement and learning programme which together provides audiences of all ages the opportunity to connect with contemporary art and unlock their creativity. IMMA is also the home of the National Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art of over 4,700 artworks by Irish and international artists. IMMA makes this national resource available through exhibitions at IMMA and other venues nationally and internationally, engagement and learning programmes and digital resources. imma.ie

For the first time, five of Ireland’s collecting national cultural institutions have come together for an event on The Economic Impact, Value, and Potential of the National Collecting Institutions to publicly highlight and explore their collective socio-economic impact.

This exciting new initiative has been spearheaded by the Chairpersons of the Boards of the National Museum of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and Crawford Art Gallery.

Representatives from the NCIs and stakeholders from across the cultural sector gathered in Dublin this morning at the National Library of Ireland for the event, which featured a keynote address by Katja Iversen, CEO, Museum for the United Nations – UN Live.

Moderated by Dr Frances Ruane, the event explored the importance and value of culture in the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the value of culture ‘beyond GDP’, cross-cultural connections, the ‘soft power’ of culture, and the contribution of collecting national cultural institutions to UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The event marks a collective first step towards quantifying the economic value of the five institutions, and NCIs more widely. Within that is a commitment to further collaboration and research by the NCIs to better understand, measure and articulate their full societal value beyond traditional economic and cultural tourism metrics.

This includes how national cultural institutions support democratic engagement, strengthen reflections on identities, foster wellbeing and social cohesion, and build long-term societal resilience, aligning with EU priorities.

To support this work, the chairpersons of the five collecting national cultural institutions commissioned an initial evidence-based assessment of their value which was published today in a report on ‘The Economic and Social Impact of Ireland’s Collecting Institutions: Beginning a New Conversation’ by Fitzpatrick Associates Economic Consultants.

As a starting point, the report reviewed existing data and published research to provide an initial assessment of the direct and indirect economic contribution of the five NCIs. The report’s analysis suggests that in 2024, the five collecting NCIs together:

– Generated total economic output of approx. €209m
– Contributed approximately €135m to national Gross Value Added*
– Supported approximately 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs (both within and outside of the cultural sector).
– Attracted over 3.5 million in-person visitors

The review demonstrated that the wider societal benefits derived from engaging with the national cultural institutions and their collections are under-measured in Ireland. The report therefore provides a starting point, rather than conclusion, for further research required to measure the deeper return in social value generated by cultural engagement beyond the benefits of visiting the institutions – whether in terms of health and wellbeing, education outcomes, quality of life or fostering social cohesion.

Professor Cathal O’Donoghue, Chair of the Board of the National Museum of Ireland speaking on behalf of the five National Cultural Institutions, said: “The national collecting institutions play a pivotal role in strengthening social connection, supporting educational outcomes, building resilience and improving the health and wellbeing of communities, particularly during periods of flux and challenge.

“As Ireland prepares for the EU Presidency, it is timely to reflect on how our cultural organisations evidence and articulate fully their contribution to society beyond economic measure. Future conversations will need to better reflect the intrinsic value of our collections and the wider societal benefits they bring to people’s lives in very real terms. Today is the first step in a broader conversation about how we move forward collectively to achieve that.

“As we continue to collect, preserve and present our collections to the public, this is an opportunity to lead out on a deeper conversation and collaborative research effort that strengthens the evidence base for policymakers, informs our own programming and measures our future impacts with certainty.”  

Katja Iversen, CEO of the Museum for the United Nations – UN Live, said:“At a time of growing polarization, uncertainty and social fragmentation, culture has a vital role to play. This event demonstrates the significant economic and societal value generated by Ireland’s national collecting institutions. To me, it also points to something larger. Collections are much more than repositories of memory – they are resources for the future. Culture and collections can help people connect across generations and differences, see themselves as part of a larger shared story, and create new ones. In doing so, they can help foster trust and belonging, expand our collective imagination, and help build the more resilient and inclusive societies we need for the future.” 

Read the report: The Economic and Social Impact of Ireland’s Collecting Institutions: Beginning a New Conversation

 

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is pleased to welcome Dr Matisse Huiskens as a Research Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow, marking a significant step in the expansion of museum‑based research and the commencement of a major new research collaboration between IMMA and University College Dublin (UCD).

Dr Huiskens’s fellowship is funded through Research Ireland’s €4.4 million Enterprise Fellowship Programme, which supports 46 enterprise‑engaged research projects nationwide across all disciplines. IMMA is proud to be the only art museum among the enterprise partners selected under the programme’s Partnership Stream, which supports full‑time research undertaken in close collaboration between higher education institutions and enterprise partners.

The two‑year research project, Unpacking the Paul O’Neill Archive at IMMA: Nationhood, Counterpublics, and the Curating of Contemporary Art in Globalising Ireland since 1991, has been awarded €97,357 in Research Ireland funding and will be based at IMMA, in partnership with UCD.

The project centres on the Paul O’Neill Archive, acquired by IMMA for its permanent Collection in 2025. The Archive comprises a substantial body of material spanning several decades of O’Neill’s international work as an artist, curator, educator, researcher, and writer, including publications, research and teaching materials, exhibition and project ephemera, and artworks.

Widely recognised as one of the foremost research‑oriented curators and scholars of curatorial practice, O’Neill’s work has played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary curating, public art and exhibition histories internationally. The Archive is regarded as an invaluable resource for students, researchers, artists and curators, and for anyone with an interest in international curatorial theory and practice from the 1990s onwards.

Through the systematic examination, interpretation and digitisation of the Archive, Dr Huiskens’s research will explore how curatorial practice has contributed to the formation of cultural counterpublics, and how these practices reflect and shape Ireland’s changing sense of nationhood since the opening of IMMA in 1991. Drawing on archival research, new fieldwork, and interviews with O’Neill’s extensive international network, the project positions the Archive as an active research infrastructure rather than a static historical record. Through talks, debates and public programmes at IMMA, the research will examine how curatorial practice can generate spaces that challenge dominant social norms and contribute to broader discussions on self‑determination, globalisation and cultural identity.

Welcoming Dr Matisse Huiskens, Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said:

“Innovative and interdisciplinary research is now taking place across IMMA: through our research‑led exhibitions; our extensive programme of work with colleges and third-level institutions; our residency programme; our pioneering work in art and brain health as part of IMMA Horizons; and increasingly through the development and activation of our Collection and Archives.

The interpretation and expansion of artist and curatorial archives are central to IMMA’s development at this moment. Archives such as the Paul O’Neill Archive are not static repositories; they are active research infrastructures that allow us to understand, contextualise and reflect on contemporary artistic practice in Ireland and internationally. Through projects such as this Research Ireland Enterprise Fellowship, we are building both the intellectual content and the organisational frameworks required to establish IMMA as a Global Learning and Research Centre.”

Dr Huiskens will be based at IMMA and UCD from May 2026 for two years. He holds a doctorate from the University of Amsterdam, jointly awarded with the University of Salerno, and previously worked as a Lecturer in modern and contemporary art at Utrecht University. His recent curatorial work includes an exhibition on the rediscovered Dutch modernist movement Liga Nieuw Beelden at Atelier Volten, Amsterdam.

This is the fifth Research Ireland Enterprise Fellowship following the innovative research projects by Dr Nathan O’Donnell (2018-2019); Dr Stephen O’Neill (2021-2023); Dr John Wilkins (2022-2024); and Dr Alessia Cargnelli (2024-2026). The fellowship builds on IMMA’s expanding role as a hub of research and innovation, demonstrated in recent years through:

• Major research‑led exhibitions, including Self Determination: A Global Perspective and Technologies of Peace: Art and Transition in Contemporary Europe (1989 – 2026), the first major public manifestation of a four‑year research programme examining art, conflict, peace and transition.
• A strategic focus on collecting, building and activating artist and curatorial archives, recognising archives as vital research resources that deepen the study and interpretation of contemporary practice in Ireland and internationally.
• Dwell Here, a research‑led residency programme supporting artists and researchers to undertake sustained inquiry through IMMA’s collections, archives, site and urgent contemporary questions.
• IMMA Horizons, a pioneering initiative positioning IMMA at the forefront of the interdisciplinary field of art and health, with a particular focus on art and brain health.
• The Museum’s ambition to establish IMMA as a Global Learning and Research Centre, embedding research across exhibitions, collections, archives, residencies, education and public engagement.

By bringing together academic research, museum practice and public engagement, the Research Ireland Enterprise Fellowship will generate new ways of understanding Ireland’s contemporary cultural history, while reinforcing IMMA’s role as a leading centre for archive‑based scholarship, curatorial research and interdisciplinary inquiry, nationally and internationally.

27 May 2026

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:
Monica Cullinane E: [email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E: [email protected] T: 086 2009957

Additional Notes for Editors

IMMA Talks

Thurs 25 June / 6pm / People’s Pavilion, IMMA

Paul O’Neill is joined by renowned artist AA Bronson to discuss collective practice, artistic self-organisation, his roles in General Idea, Art Metropole and Printed Matter, and their impacts on contemporary art and artist-run culture. This rare discussion with AA Bronson will survey his enduring influence as an artist, healer, curator, educator and ally.

Presented in association with the Paul O’Neill Archive at IMMA, and as part of Pallas Projects/Studios 30th Anniversary programme, with the support of Dublin City Council and The Arts Council.

This IMMA Talk is part of Dublin by Dusk series of late evening events at IMMA. Refreshments will be available after the talk.

Admission free, book online at imma.ie

 

Exhibitions, Live Performances, Screenings, Talks, Music, Workshops & more!

IMMA, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, is excited to launch Summer at IMMA 2026, a vibrant programme of free events for all ages, that includes exhibitions, live performances, screenings, music, talks, workshops, tours and more, taking place across IMMA’s site from June to August 2026.

This summer IMMA presents a curated series of bespoke events including a live performance of RESET by Alberta Whittle with choreographer and performer Mele Broomes; andSalarium by Ruth E Lyons that includes a screening of The Sea Inside Us, 2025, alongside a live performance of the film’s score.

Summer at IMMA offers a wide range of events for all interests, including workshops exploring Art and Ecology, Sound and Listening, Drawing and Stitching, and Art and Wellbeing. Highlights include a workshop examining the Afro‑Atlantic histories, politics, and everyday practices of headwraps; and a drawing workshop examining the history of the Sheela-na-gig in Ireland alongside the paintings of Cecilia Vicuña.

IMMA celebrates Pride in June with a fun series of events that includes an inclusive Irish Dancing and Ceili workshop and a playful zine‑making workshop exploring queer expression through collage and radical storytelling.

IMMA will take part in Dublin by Dusk a new city-wide initiative that invites you to experience Dublin city as it stays open late on the last Thursday of every month. Launching on 28 May IMMA’s first event will take you on a musical trip through the North inner city with the screening of the multi award winning documentary North Circular directed by Luke MacManus, with live cello overture performed by acclaimed cellist Kevin Murphy.

Audience favourites return this summer including Music in the Courtyard, yoga classes, biodiversity tours, family art workshops and late evening screenings.

There is something for everyone to enjoy, see our programme highlights below. For more details visit imma.ie

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

– See five exhibitions over the summer months – Reverse Migration, a Poetic Journey by Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña; Sunflowers by Lebanese sound artist Tarek Atoui; Art as Agency showcasing IMMA’s Permanent Collection and Fisherwoman, Fisherwoman bringing together the work of Camillie Souter & Alberta Whittle.

– Live performances of RESET by Alberta Whittle performed by Mele Broomes takes place on 21 June to celebrate the summer solstice. RESET is a response by Whittle to the context of the Black Lives Matter movement, the global pandemic and climate emergency. Mele Broomes is an award-winning artist, renowned for her performances that blend dance, sound, and striking poetics.

– On 25 June join IMMA’s Dwell Here residents for an open evening to learn more about their developing studio practices. Take a stroll along Studio Street where you’ll find residents Addoley Dzegede, Glenn Loughran, Paul O’Brien, Samir Mahmood, Atoosa Pour Hosseini, Xiao Zhiyu, Roots For the Future Collective, Lorena Moreno Vera, Jaana Kokko, and Shivanjani Lal.

– Taking place in July, the project Salarium by Ruth E Lyons features the screening of her debut film The Sea Inside Us, 2025, made in collaboration with Colm Hogan. A live performance of the film’s score takes place on 19 July featuring compositions by Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, together with additional newly composed works.

– Living Canvas at IMMA, Europe’s largest digital outdoor art screen presented at IMMA by IPUT Real Estate, will feature film works by artists Sam Jury, Alberta Whittle, Ruth E Lyons, Farah Al Qasimi, Emre Hüner, Jane Jin Kaisen, amongst others. Highlights include a guest curated screening by artist Sarah Durcan featuring films by Joan Jonas, Deborah Stratman and Ana Vaz from 25 June; and a collaboration with the GAZE Film Festival in August. The programme includes one-off film screenings on selected evenings throughout the summer.

– IMMA Talks summer programme asks urgent questions about how artists organise, collaborate, and sustain creative communities today. Highlights include a keynote conversation with legendary artist AA Bronson and curator, writer and artist Paul O’Neill on 25 June – presented with Pallas Projects/Studios as part of their 30^th Anniversary celebrations, in conjunction with the Paul O’Neill Archive at IMMA. Bronson has played a pivotal role in shaping international discourse around artist-led practice, publishing, queer cultural production, and alternative institutional models.

– IMMA Horizons provides creative experiences and events for adults to meet and explore art together. Highlights include an Art and Ecology workshop series in response to Ceilia Vicuña’s exhibition; a two-day workshop Drawing with Thread that investigates identity, feminism, and the psychological architecture of recovery; and the return of our much loved In the Moment art and mindfulness workshop series.

– A variety of community events and gatherings include the launch of a community partnership with Achieve with Aghogho, a global organisation supporting ambitious students to thrive, the event Crossing Disciplines: A Story of Skills, Curiosity and Change, explores the value of transferable skills across personal and professional development. The 5^th edition of the popular Sarau Sessions, inspired by a Brazilian tradition of intimate, home‑hosted gatherings, transforms IMMA’s People’s Pavilion as a site of shared togetherness.

– IMMA’s popular Music in the Courtyard series returns with a dynamic programme of free live performances in IMMA’s stunning Courtyard. Enjoy live music in a relaxed, open-air setting throughout the summer.

The IMMA Café Fruition, which includes an indoor space and outdoor van, is open all summer for coffee, lunch and treats!

For further information and images please contact:
Monica Cullinane E: [email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E: [email protected] T: 086 2009957

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and the National Transport Authority (NTA), under its Transport for Ireland (TFI) brand, are excited to announce a new partnership that will bring an inspiring mobile artwork directly into the daily journeys across Dublin city.

Art in Motion: Routes and Roots is a creation by artist Alberta Whittle, developed in collaboration with poet Dagogo Hart and community  writers group Fatima Groups United’s The Poetry Vigilantes.

Together, they have created a vibrant artwork that will wrap one of TFI’s buses, transforming the familiar public transport vehicle into a moving canvas.

Launching this summer, the Art in Motion: Routes and Roots bus will operate across the TFI network in Dublin, bringing a burst of creativity to the capital. Each day, thousands of passengers and many more who see the bus along the network will encounter art in a fresh and unexpected way. This collaboration makes contemporary art a visible and accessible part of the city’s daily movement, reaching communities throughout Dublin.

Developed through a series of poetry workshops, the bus artwork is inspired by themes explored in Fisherwoman, Fisherwoman, an exhibition currently on show at IMMA. The exhibition combines the work of contemporary artist Alberta Whittle (b. 1980) and renowned painter Camille Souter (1929–2023). During the workshops, led by Whittle and Hart, participants from The Poetry Vigilantes composed original poetry responding to the exhibition and their own lived experiences. These poetic fragments will appear across the bus wrap artwork, celebrating community voices and the power of poetry and art to connect and inspire.

Speaking on the partnership announcement, Anne Shaw, CEO of the NTA, said: “Transport for Ireland is delighted to work with IMMA to bring this inspiring project onto our network, where art can meet people as part of their everyday journeys. The TFI network connects communities across Dublin, and this collaboration shows how public transport can also connect us through creativity, culture and shared experience.”

Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said: “IMMA is thrilled to partner with NTA’s Transport for Ireland brand. This exciting partnership is a Radically Public gesture that invites everyone, wherever they are, to engage with creativity in their daily lives. It’s a powerful meeting point between public infrastructure, artistic vision and community spirit.”

Art in Motion: Routes and Roots underscores IMMA’s commitment to expanding access to art and connecting with audiences beyond the Museum’s walls. Through this collaboration with Transport for Ireland, contemporary art becomes woven into the city’s everyday rhythm, bringing colour, language, and imagination to the streets of Dublin.

14 April 2026

ENDS

Additional Notes for Editors

About Alberta Whittle
B. 1980; Bridgetown Barbados; lives and works in Glasgow, Scotland. Barbadian-Scottish. Whittle’s multifaceted practice is preoccupied with developing a personal response to the legacies of the Atlantic slave trade, unpicking its connections to institutional racism, white supremacy and climate emergency in the present. Against an oppressive political background Whittle aims to foreground hope and engage with different forms of resistance. Whittle received her MFA from the Glasgow School of Art (2011); PhD at the University of Edinburgh (2024); and is currently a Research Associate at The University of Johannesburg. She has exhibited and performed in various solo and group shows internationally and represented Scotland in the 59th Venice Biennale (2022). She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Margaret Tait Award winner (2018/19); a Turner Bursary, Frieze Artist Award and Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award (2020); and Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists (2022).

About Dagogo Hart
Dagogo Hart is a Nigerian-Irish writer, poet, and theatre-maker based in Ireland. His work spans poetry, theatre, film, and education – rooted in performance but designed to resonate beyond the stage. He has featured on everything from TV to film and bar basements, led poetry workshops and showcases across Ireland and West Africa, and is author of Lantern Smoke, 2025, a children’s book with Gill Books. His acclaimed play MMANWU explores grief and cultural identity, while his new play PALMFIST continues his powerful interrogation of masculinity, violence, and vulnerability. Hart is also co-founder of WeAreGriot, a collection committed to platforming Black Irish voices through performance poetry, storytelling, and collaboration.

About Fatima Groups United
Fatima Groups United Family Resource Centre represents residents and community projects in Fatima and Herberton, Dublin 8. Since 1995, FGU has supported the physical and social regeneration of the area. FGU provides services in health, wellbeing, education, employment, arts, childcare, counselling, family support, information, advice, and advocacy. Fatima Poetry Vigilantes is a poetry group organised by Fatima Groups United. They won the Creative Lives Ireland Award in 2022 for Dance Til Dán – a film celebrating community through poetry and dance. They organise frequent Poetry Cafés and Poetry Trains.

About NTA/TFI
The National Transport Authority is a statutory non-commercial body, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport. Established in 2009, the NTA’s core function is around the planning, development and funding of sustainable transport modes – public transport and active travel – on a national basis. NTA’s remit also extends to the regulation of commercial bus services, as well as the Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) sector and vehicle clamping.

Transport for Ireland (TFI) is the public-facing brand of the NTA, used to deliver and promote Ireland’s integrated public transport network across bus, rail, Luas and active travel services.

About IMMA
Founded in 1991, IMMA is Ireland’s National Cultural Institution for Modern and Contemporary Art located in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Its vibrant, bold, and diverse programme comprises exhibitions, commissions, and event-based projects by leading Irish and international artists, as well as a rich engagement and learning programme which together provides audiences of all ages the opportunity to connect with contemporary art and unlock their creativity. IMMA is also the home of the National Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art of over 4,700 artworks by Irish and international artists. IMMA makes this national resource available through exhibitions at IMMA and other venues nationally and internationally, engagement and learning programmes and digital resources.

The Minister of Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, is today announcing the appointment of five new members to the Board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).

The new appointees are:

• Ramatoulaye Adama Diallo
• Eibhlín Morley
• Catherine Opdebeeck
• Brendan O’Sullivan
• Barry Scannell

 

These appointments are each for five years and follow an open call for expressions of interest and subsequent assessment process operated by Publicjobs.

The details of the current Board members are available at this link: Irish Museum of Modern Art

Commenting on the appointments, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said: “I am delighted to appoint five candidates of the calibre of Ramatoulaye, Barry, Catherine, Brendan and Eibhlín to serve on the IMMA Board and congratulate them on their appointments.  I know their wide-ranging knowledge and expertise will be of great benefit to the organisation and to the cultural community. 

“Boards are central to the governance, oversight and strategic direction of all our National Cultural Institutions. I wish our newest appointees all the very best during their terms on the Board of IMMA and would like to express my gratitude to each of them, and also to the existing members of the Board, for giving so generously of their time and bringing their strength and depth of experience to bear in guiding this important National Cultural Institution”.

ENDS.

Press and Information Office
An Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport
Tel: 01 6437610
Email: [email protected]
Website:  Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Note for Editors:
The Board of Trustees of IMMA consists of a maximum of twelve members, all of whom are appointed by the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.  Details of the current Board members are available at this link: Irish Museum of Modern Art

Ms Ramatoulaye Adama Diallo is an experienced board director and investment committee member with over 25 years of leadership experience in finance, technology, and governance across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. She has held senior roles with global organisations including Orange and Google and currently serves on several regulated financial services boards in Ireland and internationally. Deeply interested in art, culture, and creative expression, she is passionate about supporting IMMA’s mission to remain an open, inclusive, and globally connected space for dialogue and discovery.

Dr. Barry Scannell is an expert in AI law and policy, specialising in intellectual property, AI compliance and governance, data protection, and commercial contracts. A Partner in the Technology Law Group at William Fry, one of Ireland’s leading law firms, Barry advises major Irish and international organisations on the legal and regulatory challenges posed by AI technologies and is a recognised voice in public discourse on AI and its implications for the creative industries.

Barry holds a PhD in AI and copyright and plays an important role in helping shape Ireland’s AI policy as a member of the Government-appointed AI Advisory Council, where he chairs its Working Group on AI and the Creative Sector. He has deep roots in the creative industries – as Director of Legal Affairs and Regulatory Compliance at IMRO, the Irish Music Rights Organisation, he worked at the intersection of technology, rights management, licensing, and cultural policy. He served on the Global Policy Committee of CISAC, the international body representing authors’ societies and collective management organisations worldwide, and chaired its working group on AI and copyright. Barry has addressed global forums including the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) ongoing conversation on AI and copyright, and is a regular contributor to national and international news and media. He also sits on the Law Society of Ireland’s Intellectual Property and Data Protection Committee

Ms Catherine Opdebeeck has worked in design and construction, across both the private and public sectors, for the past 20 years. As a practicing Architect she has been involved in the delivery of award winning cultural and museum buildings, always with a focus on design innovation and resilience. Catherine is currently Director of Programme and Procurement at the Grangegorman Development Agency. She brings skills and experience in the area of sustainability extending from environmental and technical considerations, social engagement to corporate compliance and reporting. She is a graduate of University College Dublin, the Technological University of Delft and the UCD Smurfit Business School.

Mr Brendan O’Sullivan brings over a decade of professional legal experience as a qualified solicitor with legal, regulatory and governance roles across the financial services sector. He currently serves at senior executive level in CCH; an investment holding company and as a non-executive director and Audit Committee member of Lotus Care Limited; a provider of residential care services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. As well as investment experience and a record of civic and cultural sponsorship, he brings expertise in corporate governance, risk management and compliance, alongside a strong commitment to cultural engagement.

Ms Eibhlín Morley is Co-Founder of Cara Advisory, a consultancy specialising in fundraising, strategy, and organisational transformation for non-profits across Ireland and globally. She has led and advised on campaigns raising hundreds of millions in private and corporate philanthropy and sponsorship, working with clients across education, arts, heritage, religion and health. She is an expert in end-to-end project management, external communications and storytelling, executive coaching, training, and facilitation across the non-profit sector.

Eibhlín is Co-Founder of Abú! Performing Arts, a Mayo-based performing arts academy serving the West of Ireland. She is an alumna of Trinity College Dublin, UCD Smurfit School, and Queen’s University Belfast.

Fógraíonn an tAire Patrick O’Donovan TD ceapacháin chuig Bord Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann (IMMA)

Tá an tAire Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt, Patrick O’Donovan TD, ag fógairt inniu go bhfuil cúigear comhaltaí nua ceaptha ar Bhord Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann (IMMA).

Is iad na ceapaithe nua ná:

• Ramatoulaye Adama Diallo Uasal
• Eibhlín Morley Uasal
• Catherine Opdebeeck Uasal
• Brendan O’Sullivan Uasal
• An Dr Barry Scannell

Tá na ceapacháin seo go léir ar feadh thréimhse cúig bliana agus rinneadh iad i ndiaidh gairm oscailte ar léiriú spéise agus próiseas measúnaithe arna fheidhmiú ag Publicjobs ina dhiaidh sin.

Tá sonraí faoi chomhaltaí reatha an Bhoird ar fáil ag an nasc seo: Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann

Ag trácht ar na ceapacháin, dúirt an tAire Patrick O’Donovan:“Tá ríméad orm an cúigear iarrthóirí den scoth Ramatoulaye, Barry, Catherine, Brendan agus Eibhlín a cheapadh chun freastal ar Bhord IMMA agus gabhaim comhghairdeas leo as a gceapachán. Táim cinnte go mbeidh a n-eolas forleathan agus a saineolas de thairbhe iontach don eagraíocht agus don phobal cultúrtha.

“Tá ról lárnach ag boird i rialachas, maoirseacht agus treo straitéiseach ár bhForas Cultúir Náisiúnta go léir. Guím gach rath ar ár gceapaithe nua le linn a dtréimhse ar Bhord IMMA agus ba mhian liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leo go léir, agus le comhaltaí reatha an Bhoird chomh maith, as a gcuid ama a thabhairt go fial agus a neart agus a dtaithí a thabhairt leo chun an Foras Cultúir Náisiúnta tábhachtach seo a threorú”.

 CRÍOCH.

Oifig Preasa agus Faisnéise
An Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport
Teil: 01 6437610
Ríomhphost: [email protected]
Suíomh gréasáin: An Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt

Nóta d’Eagarthóirí:

Bíonn dáréag comhaltaí ar a uasmhéid ar Bhord Iontaobhaithe IMMA, agus déantar gach duine acu a cheapadh ag an Aire Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt. Tá sonraí faoi chomhaltaí reatha an Bhoird ar fáil ag an nasc seo: Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann

Is stiúrthóir boird agus comhalta coiste infheistíochta ag a bhfuil breis agus 25 bliain de thaithí ceannaireachta san airgeadas, sa teicneolaíocht, agus sa rialachas ar fud na hEorpa, na hAfraice agus an Mheánoirthir í Ramatoulaye Adama Diallo Uasal. Bhí róil shinsearacha aici le heagraíochtaí domhanda lena n-áirítear Orange agus Google agus faoi láthair tá sí ag freastal ar roinnt bord seirbhísí airgeadais rialaithe in Éirinn agus ar fud na cruinne. Tá an-dúil aici san ealaín, sa chultúr agus sa léiriú cultúrtha, agus tá sí chun tacú le misean IMMA go díograiseach chun go mbeith sé fós mar spás atá oscailte, ionchuimsitheach agus ceangailte ar bhonn domhanda le haghaidh comhphlé agus fionnachtana.

Is saineolaí é an Dr Barry Scannell le dlí agus beartas IS, agus déanann sé sainfheidhmiú ar mhaoin intleachtúil, comhlíonadh agus rialachas IS, cosaint sonraí, agus conarthaí tráchtála. Is Comhpháirtí i nGrúpa Dhlí na Teicneolaíochta ag William Fry, ceann de na dlíghnólachtaí is mó in Éirinn, é Barry agus tugann sé comhairle do chomhlachtaí móra Éireannacha agus idirnáisiúnta maidir leis na dúshláin dhlíthiúla agus rialála atá ann mar gheall ar theicneolaíochtaí IS agus aithnítear é mar dhuine aitheanta sa dioscúrsa poiblí ar IS agus an tionchar atá aici ar na tionscail chruthaitheacha.

Tá PhD san IS agus cóipcheart ag Barry agus tá ról tábhachtach aige i múnlú bheartas IS na hÉireann mar chomhalta de Chomhairle Chomhairleach IS, arna ceapadh ag an Rialtas, agus é ina chathaoirleach ar Ghrúpa Oibre maidir le IS agus an Earnáil Chruthaitheach. Tá dlúthbhaint aige leis na tionscail chruthaitheacha – mar Stiúrthóir Gnóthaí Dlí agus Comhlíonadh Rialála ag IMRO, an tEagras Um Chearta Cheolta, áit a raibh sé ag obair ag an méid a bhíonn i bpáirt ag an teicneolaíocht, an bhainistíocht cheart, an ceadúnú agus an beartas cultúrtha. D’fhreastail sé ar Choiste Beartais Domhanda de CISAC, an comhlacht idirnáisiúnta a dhéanann ionadaíocht do shochaithe údar agus d’eagraíochtaí comhbhainistíochta domhanda, agus rinne sé cathaoirleacht don ghrúpa oibre maidir le IS agus cóipcheart. Labhair Barry ag fóraim dhomhanda lena n-áirítear ag comhrá leanúnach na hEagraíochta Dhomhanda um Maoin Intleachtúil (EDMI) maidir le IS agus cóipcheart, agus cuireann sé go rialta le nuacht agus le na meáin náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. Tá sé ar Choiste um Maoin Intleachtúil agus Cosaint Sonraí Dhlí-Chumann na hÉireann chomh maith

D’oibrigh Catherine Opdebeeck Uasal i réimse an deartha agus na tógála, ar fud na n-earnálacha príobháideacha agus poiblí, le 20 bliain anuas. Mar Ailtire a bhíonn ag cleachtadh, bhí páirt aici i dtabhairt chun críche foirgneamh cultúrtha agus iarsmalainne a bhuaigh duaiseanna, agus bíonn béim aici ar an nuálaíocht deartha agus ar an athléimneacht i gcónaí. Faoi láthair is Stiúrthóir Cláir agus Soláthair í Catherine le Gníomhaireacht Forbartha Ghráinseach Ghormáin. Tugann sí léi scileanna agus taithí i réimse na hinbhuanaitheachta ó ghnéithe comhshaoil agus teicniúla, rannpháirtíocht shóisialta go comhlíonadh corparáideach agus tuairisciú. Is céimí an Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, Technological University of Delft agus Scoil Ghnó Smurfit COBÁC í.

Tugann Brendan O’Sullivan Uasal breis agus deich mbliana de thaithí ghairmiúil sa dlí leis mar dhlíodóir cáilithe ag a bhfuil róil dhlíthiúla, rialála agus rialachais ar fud earnáil na seirbhísí airgeadais. Faoi láthair tá ról feidhmiúcháin sinsearach aige le CCH; comhlacht sealbhaíochta infheistíochta agus is stiúrthóir neamhfheidhmiúcháin agus comhalta de Choiste Iniúchóireachta Lotus Care Limited é; soláthraí seirbhísí cúraim chónaithigh do leanaí agus do dhaoine fásta ag a bhfuil míchumais intleachtúla. Mar aon le taithí infheistíochta agus stair d’urraíocht chathartha agus chultúrtha, tugann sé leis saineolas i rialachas corparáideach, bainistiú riosca agus comhlíonadh, taobh le tiomantas láidir don rannpháirtíocht chultúrtha.

Is Comhbhunaitheoir Cara Advisory í Eibhlín Morley Uasal, sainchomhairleoireacht a shainfheidhmíonn i mbunathrú tiomsaithe airgid, straitéise agus d’eagraíochtaí neamhbhrabúis ar fud na hÉireann agus na cruinne. Threoraigh sí agus thug sí comhairle d’fheachtais lena mbailíodh na céadta milliún i ndaonchairdeas agus in urraíocht phríobháideach agus chorparáideach, agus d’oibrigh sí le cliaint ar fud an oideachais, na n-ealaíon, na hoidhreachta, an chreidimh agus na sláinte. Is saineolaí í sa bhainistíocht tionscadal ó cheann ceann, sa chumarsáid sheachtrach agus sa scéalaíocht, sa chóitseáil feidhmiúcháin, san oiliúint agus san éascú ar fud na hearnála neamhbhrabúis.

Is Comhbhunaitheoir Abú! Performing Arts, acadamh na dtaibh-ealaíona lonnaithe i Maigh Eo lena bhfreastalaítear ar Iarthar na hÉireann, í Eibhlín. Is céimí Choláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, Scoil Ghnó Smurfit COBÁC agus Ollscoil na Banríona Béal Feirste í.

The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) extends its sincere appreciation to several long‑serving Board members who have recently completed their terms of service. IMMA warmly recognises the dedication, expertise, and commitment of Margot Lyons, Mary Apied, Gerard Byrne, Dermod Dwyer, Eva Kenny, and Sinéad O’Sullivan, each of whom has played a central role in guiding the museum’s strategic direction and enriching cultural life in Ireland.

Appointed by the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, these Board members brought diverse experience spanning the arts, public service, governance, finance, cultural advocacy, and community engagement. Their leadership has strengthened IMMA’s mission to connect audiences and art, providing an extraordinary space in Ireland where contemporary life and contemporary art connect, challenge, and inspire one another.

Ali Curran, Chair of the IMMA Board, said: “On behalf of the Board, I want to express our profound gratitude to Margot, Mary, Gerard, Dermod, Eva, and Sinéad. Their expertise, energy, and unwavering commitment have shaped IMMA through periods of growth, innovation, and significant achievement. Their collective impact can be felt in a stronger, more resilient IMMA, an institution that continues to champion creativity, accessibility, and public engagement. We are deeply thankful for their service.”

Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside such a committed and inspiring group of Board members. Their leadership has touched all areas of the museum’s work from building the National Collection to organisational strategy. They have supported IMMA through moments of expansion, reflection, and transformation, always driven by a shared belief in the importance of contemporary art in public life. We extend our heartfelt thanks and wish each of them every success in their future endeavours.”

Collectively, these outgoing Board members have helped steer IMMA through key phases of development, ensuring the museum’s continued relevance, stability, and ambition. IMMA expresses its deepest thanks for their wisdom, commitment, and enduring contributions to the museum and to the wider cultural community.

1 April 2026

ENDS

The Technologies of Peace, a major research programme exploring political transition, democratic fragility, and the aesthetics of peace through exhibitions, artist residencies, symposia, co-commissions, research and publications was launched today (Tuesday 10 March 2026) at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).

This multi-year programme will begin to unfold at IMMA this year as a flagship exhibition for the European Presidency, with later iterations in the North and the UK. The exhibition, The Technologies of Peace: Art and Transition in Contemporary Europe (1989 – 2026), aims to explore the concept of peace, the tools of peace and how they are deployed through an artistic lens. It will draw parallels between Ireland’s complex political history with those of our European counterparts that have had similar trajectories in transitioning from post-conflict into democratic states of peace and stability. The exhibition which opens at IMMA on 12 September 2026 and runs until 9 May 2027, presents artists from across Europe whose work traces the complex processes through which peace is formed, challenged, and sustained. The exhibition spans themes of identity, reconciliation, civic repair, trauma, memory, and the long aftermaths of conflict, foregrounding peace not as a conclusion but as an ongoing political and cultural process.

Drawing on artistic responses to political transitions in Ireland, Greece, Poland, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal and beyond, the exhibition asks what the “technologies” of peace might be today. These are not mechanical tools but the structures, aesthetics, and intentions through which societies design and cultivate peaceful life, from legal frameworks and political negotiations, to language, publishing, architecture, and institutional behaviour.

Over the next four years IMMA will bring together exhibitions, research, artist residencies, public programmes, and new commissions to explore how artistic practice contributes to civic repair in societies shaped by dictatorship, civil unrest, and conflict. Rooted in IMMA’s longstanding commitment to research-driven contemporary practice, Technologies of Peace positions art as a vital site for reflection, negotiation, and the imagining of inclusive democratic futures.

To mark the launch, IMMA Director, Annie Fletcher and Dr Glenn Loughran, artist researcher on IMMA’s Dwell Here Residency Programme discussed the role that artistic and cultural practices play in healing societies, fostering reconciliation, and creating space for collective reflection beyond the limits of political and legal systems. At a time when democratic norms across Europe are under renewed strain, their conversation underscored the urgency of cultural engagement as a means to address fragmentation, cultivate dialogue, and articulate shared futures.

This special event also included Recording History: Notes from the Field with Dr Isobel Harbison, art historian and Research Associate at IMMA. Dr Harbison introduced her oral history project interviewing artists and filmmakers who were active in the North of Ireland from 1968, including some audio excerpts and observations from her encounters. Funded by the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, Ecclesiastical Ireland and The Benefact Group through the Movement for Good, and the Heritage Council, in partnership with Ulster Museum and the Public Records of Northern Ireland (PRONI), Dr Harbison’s research with IMMA expands on the museum’s commitment to supporting nuanced understandings of conflict and its cultural and material legacies, and will offer an important resource for future research on the conditions and networks of creative production that yield art in, or despite, conflict. Recording History will further unfold at public events at the Ulster Museum on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April 2026.

Annie Fletcher, Director of IMMA, said: “Over the next four years IMMA will be forging ambitious new partnerships with researchers, artists and institutions across the world. Technologies of Peace brings together artistic practices that reveal peace as something actively produced through dialogue, through memory, through the infrastructures that hold societies together. As Europe navigates profound political tension, this project asks how cultural institutions can model forms of openness, care, and democratic imagination that feel urgently needed.”

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Monica Cullinane E: [email protected] T: 086 2010023
Patrice Molloy E: [email protected] T: 086 2009957