This is Art! - the annual art competition run by RTÉ in association with The Creative Ireland Programme for young people 0 -18 years throughout the island of Ireland - is showcasing an amazing selection of the 15,000 entries received since its launch in 2021 in a new art exhibition.
TheThis is Art! exhibition is free of charge and runs in the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), Dublin, from Friday 6th October to Sunday 29th October.
Each year, young artists of all abilities respond visually to a theme.
In 2021, the theme was "This is Now" which invited our young artists to respond creatively to lockdown. Hope, sadness, confusion, anger, and joy converge in an invaluable time capsule of creativity from a time that rocked the world.
In the beginning of 2022, with a return to normality on the horizon, the theme was "This is Extraordinary". Again, the artworks submitted painted a picture of the concerns of young people in Ireland as we transitioned cautiously to a new freedom.
with Kevin Bakhurst, Director General, RTÉ and Rebecca Gale, RHA
at the launch of This is Art! at the RHA
In 2023, the theme was "This is Inspiration". At last, the talent and creativity of our young people could run wild - and it did.
Suzanne Kelly, Head of Young People's Programming, RTÉ said: "This Is Art! began in 2020 as an RTÉ Young Peoples's digital art initiative; A way to connect kids and young adults through a pandemic, through art. It tapped into the most awe-inspiring creativity and delivered the most poignant digital visual record, Now moving into its fourth year This Is Art! continues to go from strength to strength and I am so thrilled that in collaboration with the RHA & Creative Ireland Programme, RTÉ can bring together under one roof some of artworks uploaded over the past three years for everyone to celebrate, appreciate and enjoy. I would particularly like to commend all of the artists that have taken the time to participate over the past three years, congratulations to everyone involved - This is Art!!!"
(and a photograph of her painting using her fathers head as a canvas!)
at the launch of of This is Art!
THIS IS INTERACTIVE!
Through QR codes beside artists' names, visitors to the exhibition will get a unique insight into each piece by being brought directly to the artist's statement which describes in their own words what inspired them to produce the piece. Just scan the QR code with your phone's camera.THIS IS INSPIRATION!Three themes will be on display at this exhibition. Each year, young artists of all abilities respond visually to a theme.
This is Art! runs in the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), Ely Place, Dublin 2, from Friday 6th October to Sunday 29th October. Opening times are from 11.00am - 5.00pm, Monday - Friday (6.30pm Wednesday) and from 12.00 noon - 6.30pm on Sunday. Find out more about the exhibition here, and more about This is Art! here.
