Image: Royal Hibernian Academy, London
The Royal Hibernian Academy is heading into the closing stretch of its 196th Annual Exhibition, with free admission continuing until Sunday, 9 August, and a public tour scheduled for 8 August that will pair an introduction to the building with highlights from the show. The exhibition, presented in association with McCann FitzGerald, is described by the RHA as Ireland’s largest and longest-running showcase of visual art, now in its 196th year.
According to the academy, the 2026 Annual Exhibition brings together work across painting, sculpture, drawing, print, photography, mixed media and architecture. Almost 600 works are on view, selected from 4,890 artworks submitted in two rounds of judging. The final display occupies all gallery spaces at the RHA and includes Academy members, invited artists and artists chosen through the open submission process.
The current exhibition is also framed as a major sales platform. The RHA says many works remain available to purchase, underscoring the Annual Exhibition’s dual role as a public showcase and a market for artists at different stages of their careers. Artists represented this year include Shane Keisuke Berkery, Aideen Barry RHA, Dorothy Cross RHA, Andrew Folan RHA, Martin Gale RHA, Erin Lawlor, Paul McKinley, Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh PRHA, Eilis O’Connell RHA, Mick O’Dea PPRHA, Una Sealy RHA and Donald Teskey RHA, among others.
The exhibition is supported by a prize fund exceeding €42,500 across multiple disciplines. Awards named on the RHA website include the RCSI Art Award in association with The Irish Times, the Ireland–U.S. Council and Irish Arts Review Portraiture Award, the ESB Keating Award for Outstanding Artwork and the McCann FitzGerald Portraiture Prize. The academy also says five exhibiting artists will be shortlisted by the Hennessy Craig / Homan Potterton Jury, with the Hennessy Craig Award and the Homan Potterton Prize both set at €20,000 and due to be awarded in 2028.
Alongside the exhibition, the RHA is offering a free First Day at the RHA tour on 8 August from 1 to 2pm. The gallery says the tour is open to first-time visitors and audiences of all ages, with no booking required. Participants are asked to meet their guide at reception. The academy says the walk-through will introduce visitors to the building and include highlights from the Annual Exhibition.
The RHA is also using the same summer period to publicize application windows for its studio opportunities. Applications for RHA Studio 2, available from September 2026 for one calendar year, close on 10 August at 4pm. The RHA says applicants must submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter outlining their work plan, six images of work and a list of works. A separate Clare Island Studio Residency 2026 is open to visual artists only, with applications closing on 7 August at 4pm and the residency scheduled from 1 October to 30 November.
The Clare Island residency is described by the RHA as a two-month award offered through the generosity of a private benefactor. The academy says the residency provides a house with a separate studio, has a nominal cost of €250 per month to cover utilities, and is not suitable for sculptors. The RHA notes that the residency was founded in 2021 and that previous recipients have included Paul MacCormaic, Grace McAntee, Doireann O’Malley, Roisin Lewis and Andy Fitz.
