Dear Friends,
We, at the RHA, hope you are all getting through these strange and unpredictable times as best you can and that you are safe and secure. As an organisation we are not sure what these times will bring but what we do know is, for the time being, we have plans to expand on our virtual interaction with you, our supportive online community, through different gallery resources, with virtual gallery tours, highlights of current and past exhibitions and availability of educational assets which we will keep you up to date on, in the near future.
Over the coming weeks, we will also keep you up to date with the progress of the 190th Annual Exhibition. The first round of reviewing the record breaking number of 4200 artworks, submitted digitally, took place over five days last week. The adjudication panel chose 700+ works that will be physically brought to the RHA for the next round of selection and that round, in the present crisis, is yet to be scheduled. Our staff are working remotely from home, with one person manning the phones in the gallery each day. If you have any queries you can call us Monday to Friday, 10 - 5pm on 01- 661 2558, or email info@rhagallery.ie , we would be happy to hear from you.
We are dedicated to continuing our support of artists through the Studio Programme (the 8 individual studios are still operating) and through payment of artwork production funds to artists for upcoming exhibitions and associated fees. The Arts Council has informed all organisations that we can access 90% of our grant over the coming few months which will go some of the way to address these needs and our other standing costs. But we, as with the rest of the country, will struggle to make ends meet.
We look forward to the exciting opportunities that keeping in touch, with you, virtually will bring and to engaging with you in innovative ways that will keep art alive in your home and hopefully entertain your day in an alternative way while we are all in this shutdown together.
Please follow RHA Gallery on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.
From myself, and all the staff of the RHA we hope you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy. As a society, working together, we can get through this unprecedented challenge.
All the best,
Patrick T. Murphy
RHA Director
