Westmeath Artists Award and Exhibition press release | news | Athlone Arts and Tourism

Luan Gallery invites Westmeath Professional Visual Artists to submit applications for consideration for a Westmeath Artists Award and Exhibition.

The Westmeath Artists Award is a collaboration between Luan Gallery and the Westmeath Arts Office. It aims to celebrate, showcase, and support the development of Westmeath visual artists’ practices and careers and is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.

Luan Gallery invites submissions from professional practicing visual artists residing in or originally from Westmeath who represent the diversity of Westmeath’s artistic community, working in any medium to submit 2D and/or 3D artwork for consideration of this Award and inclusion in a group exhibition, which will take place from December 2024 to early February 2025. The exhibition will present works from the county’s practising professional visual artists selected by guest Curator Benjamin Stafford, who is the visual arts curator at Visual, Carlow.

Carmel Duffy, Manager of Luan Gallery, said, “This collaboration between the Westmeath Arts Office and the municipal visual art gallery for the county is a proactive initiative to support the development of professional artists in Westmeath. The Award has been extremely popular since it was first launched in 2022 and provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the diversity of artistic talent in the county. We look forward to uncovering more emerging talents through the process this year.”

Laura McCormack, Acting Arts Officer for County Westmeath said,“The Westmeath Artists Award offers local artists the hugely valuable opportunity to exhibit their work in the award-winning Luan Gallery, and feature in its dynamic annual programme of contemporary Irish and international art. The award has for the past two years showcased the very best of Westmeath’s visual art, we are looking forward to seeing the selected works on display this December as we continue to celebrate local talent.”

Selected artists will each receive a stipend of five hundred euros and a place in an exhibition at Luan Gallery from December 2024 to early February 2025. All exhibiting artists will be considered for a professional development award, which will be announced at the opening of the group exhibition on 30th November , 2024. The overall winner will receive a Luan Gallery Visual Arts Development Award of one thousand five hundred euros, amongst other benefits, including an exhibition slot, studio residency, studio visit, and mentorship from a guest curator.  All eligible artists must submit a completed application accessible on the http://www.athloneartsandtourism.ie website no later than 12 p.m. on Tuesday, 1st October, 2024. 

For further information on the application process visit http://www.athloneartsandtourism.ie or contact Luan Gallery on Tel: 090 6442154 or Email info@luangallery.ie.