EVA International is Ireland's Biennial of Contemporary Art. Every two years EVA International works with guest curators to create a 12-week programme of exhibitions and events that engage with the people and city of Limerick, Ireland.
EVA International aims to lead and champion the production, curation, commissioning and exhibiting of contemporary art in Limerick and Ireland, supporting the creation of new work by Irish and international artists. Through this EVA aims to strengthen its relationship with existing audiences and develop and discover new audiences, through engagement with works of art, exhibition platforms, participation and education projects.
Since its foundation in 1977, EVA International has worked with some of the world's leading artists and curators, bringing outstanding exhibitions and international audiences to the west coast of Ireland. Artists' projects are selected through an international open and invited call for proposals and exhibitions take place in both gallery and non-gallery spaces.
EVA International is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Limerick City and County Council, LIT, Limerick School of Art & Design and works in close partnership with Limerick City Gallery of Art.
EVA History
EVA International(previously know as e v+ a, Exhibition of Visual Art) was founded by Limerick-based artists and academics in January 1977. The aim of the original committee was to show the work of contemporary visual artists and “provide the public with an opportunity to visit and experience an exhibition not normally available in the region and [...] stimulate an awareness of the visual arts here” [taken from the Introduction to EVA 1977 catalogue].
Initially the exhibition took place annually and artworks were selected from an open call for submissions by a panel of acclaimed Irish artists and arts professionals. In 1979 Sandy Nairne was appointed as the first international guest curator of the exhibition and this model has continued since then. Through working with international guest curators, EVA International aims to introduce them to Irish art and artists, while simultaneously introducing Irish audiences to international art and artists.
In 1986 the Young EVA programme was introduced to develop younger audiences, encouraging their engagement with and understanding of contemporary art. Young EVA has been an integral aspect of EVA exhibitions since this time and is widely acknowledged as being the first encounter that many future artists and arts professionals had with contemporary art in Limerick.
From 1994 to 2010, and alongside the selected “Open” exhibition, an “Invited” element of exhibition was established during alternate years, where the guest curators invited artists to participate in the programme. Additionally from 1997 until 2009 “Colloquies”, a series of discursive events reflecting on the exhibition, was developed alongside the “Open” exhibition during alternate years between “Invited” editions.
In 2011 the Arts Council initiated an organization review that resulted in EVA International changing from an annual exhibition to a biennial. Since 1977, 2,041 artists have participated in EVA International and it has frequently been the first major public exhibition for emerging Irish artists, who have subsequently gone on to become internationally recognized artists.
