Aosdána, the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland, has elected 8 new members to its ranks.
Elected at its 42nd General Assembly in the Hibernia Centre, Dublin Castle, the new members are; Paul Lynch (Literature), Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Visual Art), Ed Bennett (Music), Andrew Hamilton (Music), Shaun Davey (Music), Louise Lowe (Literature), Catherine Dunne (Literature) and Roisin Heneghan (Architecture).
Established by the Irish government in 1981, Aosdána honours artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the creative arts in Ireland, and assists members in devoting their energies fully to their art practice.
members of An Toscaireacht, who oversee the administration
of Aosdána, pictured at the General Assembly
Membership of Aosdána, which is by peer nomination and election, is currently limited to 250 living artists, who have produced a distinguished body of work within the arts.
The membership includes creative artists working in a wide range of disciplines including architecture, choreography, music, literature and visual art.
A minutes silence was at the General Assembly held in memory of the deaths of former Aosdána members Camille Souter, Críostóir Ó Floinn, Maurice Scully, Michael Viney, Seóirse Bodley, and Thomas Kilroy, all of whom have died since the 41st General Assembly.
