In keeping with Visual Artists Ireland’s strategy, and in support of the Arts Council of Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s strategies, we maintain a breath and balance of information and support of all visual art forms. Our membership is across the generations of visual artists.

Visual Artists Ireland has a strong ethos that our work is to the benefit of artists at all stages of career and development, and is not solely to the benefit of paid members of Visual Artists Ireland. In 2010 we updated our web presence so that we can provide information on the visual arts to the wider public through the upgrade of our website, and also the provision of information through social networking channels such as Facebook and Twitter, and VAI’s own social networking site, The Common Room.

We have also been active with the visual arts sector, government, local authorities, national and international representative bodies and the media to endeavour that the current understand of the status of professional visual artists reflects the reality of life; the uniqueness of visual artists’ needs; their roles in contemporary Ireland; the benefits of visual artists to the life of Irish society; as well as contributing to policies, strategies, and the development of partnerships.

Our work on behalf of the individual is also accompanied by our continued discussions with, and support services for organisations working in the visual arts, or who may have need to access our network. We work with visual arts service and resource providers, local authorities, development agencies, corporate bodies, and private individuals who require access to professional visual artists.

Since 2009 we have seen an increase in the number of members who have come from other countries to live in Ireland. Rather than isolating them into specific streams, our policy is one of complete inclusion in terms of the work that we undertake. « less