IMMA Director’s Message

2023 was undeniably a remarkable year for the Irish Museum of Modern Art. With world-class exhibitions, dynamic and inclusive programming, and record-breaking visitor numbers, it was a year that filled everyone at IMMA with immense pride.

A strong group of women were at the heart of the IMMA 2023 Programme. Throughout the year, IMMA hosted a series of innovative solo exhibitions featuring living artists, with both new commissions and retrospectives. Highlights included Patricia Hurl: Irish Gothic, Sarah Pierce: Scene of a Myth, Howardena Pindell: A Renewed Language, Jo Baer: In the Land of Giants, and Anne Madden: Seven Paintings. These exhibitions were complemented by talks and lectures from the artists, curators, and students of their work.

In recent years, IMMA has pioneered a series of research-based exhibitions. These exhibitions look to address the paradoxical trends and shifts in contemporary culture, utilising art to contextualise these changes and deepen our understanding of modernity and our contemporary world. The latest exhibition in this series, Self-Determination: A Global Perspective, was the culmination of a three-year research project focusing on the new nation-states that emerged after the First World War. The exhibition, one of the largest in IMMA’s history, reaffirmed the museum’s commitment to fostering critical speculation, dialogue and understanding.  This monumental showcase, supported by the dedicated commitment of the IMMA team, garnered national and international PR coverage of more than 20 million reach, underscoring the global impact and potential of our work.

In 2023, IMMA together with The Crawford Art Gallery acquired over 100 works of contemporary art to the National Collection, supported by an allocation of €1.5m from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.  These acquisitions encompassed painting, sculpture, photography, installation, works on paper, digital media works, and textiles, by both Irish and international artists. The works cover pressing issues such as climate change, diversity, and global migration, ensuring that seminal artists previously missing from the National Collection are now represented and support IMMA’s ambition to build a world-renowned Collection, placing Irish artistic practice in the context of their international peers.

In addition, IMMA acquired two large-scale works by Brian O’Doherty, prior to his sad passing in November 2022. IMMA is delighted to have increased its holding of this seminal Irish artist and intellectual whose work continues to resonate globally.

With significant financial support and collaboration from the Department, IMMA secured the Weltkunst Collection for the nation, comprising over 300 works on paper covering a broad spectrum of recent significant late 20th global practice. This immense body of work originally in the form of a long term loan has formed a significant and important part of IMMA’s working collection since the mid 90’s and we are immensely grateful to know we have now secured this body of works in perpetuity.

“The winners of our international architectural competition, Dutch architects Makkink and Bey, designed an extraordinary space, which provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for visitors to explore and participate in artistic practices.”

The Matheson Creativity Hub in Memory of Tim Scanlon, was an exciting new addition to IMMA in 2023.  This vibrant new community space, generously supported by Matheson LLP aims to inspire creative engagement and foster social connectivity for audiences of all ages. The winners of our international architectural competition, Dutch architects Makkink and Bey, designed an extraordinary space, which provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for visitors to explore and participate in artistic practices. It has been wonderful to see the space fully booked with activity since it opened, and I am eternally grateful to our partners Matheson for their long-standing support of IMMA and the cultural landscape in Ireland.

“2023 marked our busiest year yet welcoming 630,000 visitors. This remarkable achievement represents a 10% increase from the previous year, a testament to the dedication and commitment of all our teams.”

In 2023, IMMA embarked on a mission to enhance our audience engagement and I am proud to announce that our efforts have borne fruit. 2023 marked our busiest year yet welcoming 630,000 visitors. This remarkable achievement represents a 10% increase from the previous year, a testament to the dedication and commitment of all our teams.

In September, we hosted the second annual EARTH RISING -a four-day festival of free events that sought to address the climate crisis through art and collective action and assembly. The festival welcomed over 16,500 visitors, marking an 84% increase from the previous year, and showcased the transformative potential of artistic expression in fostering awareness and inspiring change.

Throughout the summer, IMMA Outdoors brought our museum to life, engaging communities and activating our 48-acre site with over 150 events. This dynamic program, coupled with a robust communications campaign, and supported by the governmental initiative the ‘Late Night Task Force’ resulted in a 16% increase in audience numbers compared to the previous year.

We were thrilled to publish our new five-year strategy 2024 – 2028 entitled “A Creative Catalyst for Change,” which sets a bold vision for IMMA as the foremost dynamic and welcoming cultural destination in Ireland. At the heart of this vision is our commitment to collecting and presenting modern art while also establishing ourselves as a global leader in contemporary art practice.

This strategic plan marks an exciting milestone for IMMA, providing a roadmap for our journey over the next five years. It is a testament to our dedication to innovation, creativity, and excellence in all that we do. This strategy is built upon four pillars:

• A Catalyst for Change – where IMMA is a space that acts as a catalyst for creative change, connecting communities to imagine a shared future.
• A Radically Public Space – where diversity is embraced as a pathway to creativity and engagement as part of public life.
• A Centre for Research & Innovation – where IMMA is an intellectually dynamic place, a living reflection of our cultural identity, past and future.
• A Global Connector – where IMMA strives to increase the presence and appreciation of Irish visual creativity on the international stage and to bring significant international practice to our shores

None of the achievements of 2023 would have been possible without the tireless efforts of the IMMA team.  I consider it my privilege to lead such a team of dedicated individuals who have fully embraced our ambitious direction.  Their creative energy has been integral in finding new and innovative ways to present our programme and showcase its importance in understanding the world we live in, as well as the future we aspire to create together.

I deeply value and appreciate the support of our Board, whose unwavering dedication to our mission has propelled us forward. Additionally, we are so fortunate to have the Office of Public Works as our partner, contributing to the creation of a space where the historical importance of our buildings and incredible grounds converges with the contemporary significance of art and the role of the modern art museum. Furthermore, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media remains our most crucial partner, providing guidance and support pivotal in realising our ambition.

Looking ahead to 2024, our new five-year strategy, “A Creative Catalyst for Change,” sets a bold vision for IMMA as a dynamic and welcoming cultural destination. As we move forward, we remain committed to innovation, creativity, and excellence, shaping the future of modern art in Ireland and beyond.

Looking from our historically important and strategic hill in Kilmainham we hope to welcome you to year of inspiring art, meaningful connections, and transformative experiences.

Best wishes,

Annie Fletcher
Director