Curator

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Curator – Ireland at Venice 2028

Institution: Culture Ireland & Arts Council
Deadline: 1 September 2026 (12:00 noon)
Location: Venice, Italy (Biennale exhibition) / Ireland (national tour)
Contract: Curatorial commission
Budget: Approx. €520,000 core project budget (€350,000 net operating budget, excluding venue rental) + up to €120,000 for the 2029 Irish tour
Eligibility: Curators, collectives or organisations based in Ireland or holding Irish citizenship

Culture Ireland, in partnership with the Arts Council, is inviting Expressions of Interest for the curation of Ireland’s national representation at the 62nd International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2028. The selected curator or curatorial team will lead the development and delivery of Ireland’s exhibition in Venice, followed by a national tour across Ireland in 2029.

The opportunity is aimed at experienced curators, organisations or collectives with a strong background in contemporary visual arts and large-scale international projects. Applicants are expected to commission an artist or collaborative artistic practice and oversee all aspects of the exhibition, from concept development to production, fundraising and international presentation.

Role Overview

The successful curator or curatorial team will be responsible for:

Commissioning the artist and creative team.
Developing the exhibition concept and overseeing its delivery.
Managing the overall project budget and financial reporting.
Leading fundraising activities where additional support is required.
Coordinating with the Biennale organisers and exhibition venue.
Managing communications, media relations and public engagement.
Providing production and administrative support throughout the project.
Organising the exhibition’s Irish national tour in 2029.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants may apply as individuals, collectives or organisations.
Applicants must be based in Ireland or hold Irish citizenship.
The proposed artist(s) must also be based in Ireland or hold Irish citizenship.
The curator or participating institution cannot be the proposed artist.
The curator or institution must not have a commercial relationship with the proposed artist.
Projects should feature a solo artist or collaborative artistic practice; group exhibitions will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
The proposed work must not have been exhibited before its presentation in Venice.
The proposed artist must not previously have represented Ireland with a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale.
Retrospective exhibitions are not eligible.

Project Budget

The initiative includes an estimated overall budget of approximately €520,000, including venue rental. Around €350,000 will be available as the operating budget for the exhibition, while a separate budget of up to €120,000 will support the Irish touring exhibition in 2029.

Applicants should note that previous Irish representations have required additional fundraising to realise projects at the desired scale.

Application Requirements

Stage I submissions must include:

A completed cover sheet.
A working project title.
A description of the full project team and individual roles.
A detailed curatorial vision and outline of the proposed artwork.
A response addressing all evaluation criteria.
An outline for the Irish tour in 2029.
A life-cycle sustainability plan.
An outline budget.
CVs and biographies for all proposed participants.

The proposal (excluding the cover sheet) must not exceed five A4 pages and should be submitted as a PDF by email.

Selection Process

The selection process consists of two stages. Following the initial assessment of Expressions of Interest, shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview in October 2026, where they will present a more detailed curatorial proposal. Shortlisted candidates will receive a preparation fee of €1,000.