Dr Marianne O'Kane Boal, President of AICA Ireland, introduces this year's winner of the AICA's Ireland Annual Honorary Prize, a new award established to recognize art exhibitions in Ireland.
The concept of an annual prize for a significant art exhibition in its contemporary form emerged in London in the mid-18th century. In 1849, the Paris Salon began awarding medals to recognise artists in the academic system. Ireland has an award running for a comparable span with the RDS Taylor Art Awards established in 1860; one of the oldest continuing art awards. One of the most significant prizes for contemporary art is the Turner Prize which was established in 1984 and has been awarded more than 40 times. According to Sylvia Walker in Contemporary Art Issue, "Art prizes hold a pivotal role in the contemporary art world, not only as recognition of artistic excellence but also as catalysts for innovation, dialogue, and career advancement". The prize helps inform a narrative of contemporary art, highlighting significant work and supporting the development of both emerging and established artists. Prizes can be awarded by trusts, committees and institutions. They can also be awarded by art critics and this acts as a critical acknowledgment and endorsement of an artist’s practice.
It is within this context that AICA Ireland has developed its inaugural edition of the Annual Honorary Prize.
AICA Ireland is the membership body for professionals working in critical discourse, research, and reflection within the visual arts on the island of Ireland. The Irish national section has been an active member of AICA International since its foundation in Paris in 1950. In celebrating the activities of our peers, this prize draws attention to the potential of AICA and ultimately art writing in general to bring visibility, advocate for and support visual art in Ireland. In early 2026 the panel assembled a shortlist of outstanding exhibitions that took place across the island of Ireland in 2025.
Inspired by an initiative of the Belgian section of AICA, the scheme was established by a committee of eight members to award an artist and/or curator a symbolic prize for an outstanding exhibition each year. This prize was established by AICA Ireland and involves active contributions from several members, distributed across all four provinces of Ireland. This committee is made up of the following members: Alan Phelan and Brenda Moore McCann (Leinster) Áine Phillips and Michaële Cutaya (Connaught) Cristín Leach and Pádraic E. Moore (Munster) Jane Morrow and Marianne O'Kane Boal (Ulster).
Watch: Artist Aisling O'Beirn in conversation
The winner of the inaugural AICA Ireland Annual Honorary Prize has been selected and AICA Ireland are delighted to announce that it is Aisling O’Beirn for her exhibition 'We Lose Sight of the Night’, curated by Hugh Mulholland at The MAC, Belfast from 17 April - 22 June 2025. This exhibition was the first in a series of exhibitions which address climate and environmental change. O’Beirn (born in Galway) is a Belfast-based artist; her practice explores the relationship between art and science and manifests variously as sculpture, installation, animation and site-specific projects.
On receiving the prize, Aisling O'Beirn said: "Thank you very much to both AICA Ireland and the MAC. I am really delighted to receive this award, it is a great surprise. I'd like to thank Hugh for his longstanding faith in, and support for my practice over many years. I'd also like to thank him and the MAC team for the fantastic opportunity that the show afforded me to show an extensive body of work. Their support was superb".
Find out more about the AICA Ireland Annual Honorary Prize shortlist here
