Open call to artists for Climate and Health Exhibition
at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
Artists who are established, emerging or enjoy creating art as a hobby, are invited to submit a piece of visual art exploring the theme of Climate and Health for an exhibition at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland to be held in October 2023.
The winning entry will receive a prize of €2,000 with two additional artists receiving a prize of €300 each. Works may be in any medium including painting, photography, sculpture, and video.
All submissions should be made through email to heritagecentre@rcpi.ie by Monday, 28 August 2023. See submission guidelines below.
The judging panel will be chaired by James Hanley RHA. James is one of Ireland's most prominent painters and a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (RHA). He is joined by Dominique Crowley, a Dublin-based artist and former public health doctor, and BethAnn Roch, a Fellow of the College and a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Academy.
Selected works will be exhibited at the historic home of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, No.6 Kildare St, Dublin 2, from 16 – 20 October 2023. Works will also be displayed on a visual platform online.
Climate breakdown and human health are highly interwoven
The exhibition is part of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s commitment to advocacy around the huge challenges we are facing triggered by climate change and the impact this will have on the world’s population. The College wishes to provide a space for discussion of the challenges of climate breakdown and for the formulation and promotion of solutions to the climate crisis. Art is one way of articulating the personal and collective feelings and stories around this challenge and for envisioning shared solutions that protect health and the planet.
Climate breakdown and human health are highly interwoven. Burning fossil fuels is the greatest contributor to global heating and causes increased rates of cardio-respiratory illness and premature death. Health effects of extreme weather events include hypothermia, dehydration, kidney disease, stroke, malnutrition, and water-borne infections. A paradox is that healthcare delivery itself contributes significantly to global heating. If the healthcare sector were a country, it would be the 5th largest polluter in the world.
We need to find ways to protect our health and protect the planet. How we travel, how we eat, how we consume, how we provide essential services – these can be our stumbling blocks, or they can represent opportunities for a just future.
Submission Guidelines
All submissions should be made through email to heritagecentre@rcpi.ie by Monday, 28 August 2023.
Your submission should include:
• Description of piece
• Up to 5 high quality images of piece
• Dimensions of piece (including any frame)
• Please mention any specific considerations for installation or transport of the work
Submissions, which may be in any medium, including painting, photography, sculpture, and video, must be work completed within the last three years and aligns with the theme or new work created in response to the theme.
Please note: AI-created works are ineligible.
Submissions are welcome from artists resident in Ireland at all stages of their career.
We are an open and inclusive organisation that celebrates and welcomes diversity. Submissions that reflect a multitude of backgrounds, identities, and life experiences are welcome. We especially welcome submissions from people who identify as part of a group that is underrepresented in the visual arts. The organiser will provide transport and installation services to and from No. 6 Kildare Street.
We will not charge any commission on sale of work.
About us
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is a postgraduate medical training college dedicated to ensuring that doctors have the skills to provide patients with the best possible care. Founded in 1654, the college supports doctors to enhance their skills, competencies, and professionalism throughout their working lives. The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s Heritage Centre is Ireland’s only accredited medical museum. Our mission is to preserve, protect and promote our collections relating to the history of medicine and medical education in Ireland. We are located in the beautiful home of RCPI at 6 Kildare Street, nestled between the National Library, National Museum and National Gallery of Ireland, where the exhibition will be hosted.