Funding & Opportunities

Visual Art Commission 2027, 2028 and 2029

We invite professional artists to apply for the Visual Art Commission exhibition in the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon. This opportunity is for an artist to create new work specifically for the Municipal Gallery.

 

Municipal Gallery at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

These exhibitions are funded by the Arts Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. We would like artists to create new work that connects to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County. We welcome exhibitions that look at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, its culture and people.

We will select three exhibitions, which will take place in 2027, 2028, and 2029. Each exhibition will run for eight to ten weeks. The exhibition dates will be agreed with the selected artists. 

If selected, you will receive:

  • €13,000
  • An exhibition at the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon, Dún Laoghaire

Timeline and key dates:

  • Gallery visit with DLR Arts Office: Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 6pm
  • Online information meeting: Thursday 2 October at 11.30am
  • Deadline for applications: Monday 3 November 2025 at 2pm
  • Successful applicants informed: early February 2026
  • Exhibitions: 2027, 2028 and 2029

How to apply: 

  • Closing date for applications: Monday 3 November 2025 at 2pm
  • We will accept one application from an artist. This can be for a solo or two-person exhibition. You cannot make two applications.
  • Apply Here: dlrcoco.submit.com

Please, carefully read Visual Art Commission Brief. It contains important information intended to guide your understanding of the application process. 

Gallery information meetings

 

We will hold two information meetings to give interested artists a chance to hear about the Gallery and what is needed for this application:

 

In person: 

  • There will be an in-person gallery visit with Arts Office staff on Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 6pm.

Online: 

  • There will be an online information meeting on Thursday 02 October at 11.30am.

How to book: 

  • Please contact us by email arts@dlrcoco.ie or phone (01) 236 2759 to book a place on one of these information meetings. Please put VAC Information Meeting as the subject line.
  • If you are unable to come to these meetings, you are welcome to visit the Gallery yourself at another time.

The opening hours are:

  • Monday-Thursday: 10am - 8pm
  • Friday and Saturday: 10am - 5pm
  • Sunday: 12 noon to 4pm
Who can apply?
  • You can apply if you are an artist living in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County.
  • You can also apply if you work as an artist in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
  • This might include working in a studio space, lecturing in visual arts practice, giving regular arts workshops in the area.
  • You can apply if you are originally from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
  • You can apply if you studied visual art in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
  • You can apply as an individual artist. Two artists who work together or two artists that would like to exhibit together can also apply.
  • If you have had an artwork included in the DLR Open Submission Exhibitions before you are able to apply for this opportunity. (For example, Utopia/Dystopia 2019, Order/Chaos 2023)
Who cannot apply?
  • If you were awarded the DLR Visual Art Commission
  • If you were awarded a DLR Open Call exhibition, you need to wait for five years before you apply for a Visual Art Commission. (For example: 2019-2024, 2020-2025, 2021-2026).
  • A group of artists to show work.
What will you get?
  • A budget of €13,000 (more details on this below).
  • Marketing material and PR (dlr Arts Office will take care of any print and online PR for your exhibition).
  • Professional art technicians will install your work. Exhibition opening event.
  • The support of a curator if you need this (to a maximum amount of €1,000 per commission).
  • The cost towards the transport of your artwork by art handlers, up to the value of €750. You must help us organise the transportation. We will not fund international travel for this exhibition.
  • Insurance of the artworks while in the Gallery. If an artwork is too fragile to be covered by our insurance, you may be asked to insure it or remove it from the exhibition.
Visual Art Commission dlr LexIcon 2027, 2028 and 2029
Visual Art Commission dlr LexIcon 2027, 2028 and 2029.pdf
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