Two Kildare artists shortlisted for AIB prize
The pair are among 26 artists shortlisted
Two Kildare artists have been shortlisted for this year’s AIB Portrait Prize, following hundreds of entries from artists across the country.
Breda Kenny from Kildangan, Monasterevin, has been selected for her pastel work Making a Splash, while Celbridge artist Jonathan Dickson has been shortlisted for Theo (Almost) Hiding Behind a Tree in the Phoenix Park, an oil painting on canvas.
The pair are among 26 artists shortlisted for the 2026 AIB Portrait Prize, which features a diverse range of work including painting, photography, video, pastel and mixed media.
The overall winner will receive a €15,000 cash prize and a commission to create a work for the National Portrait Collection, accompanied by a further €5,000 award. Two highly commended artists will each receive €1,500.
The shortlist will be judged by Dr Brian Fay, artist and lecturer at TU Dublin; Christina Kennedy, Senior Curator and Head of Collections at the Irish Museum of Modern Art; and Dr Joseph McBrinn, art historian and lecturer at Belfast School of Art.
The AIB Young Portrait Prize, which celebrates artists aged 18 and under, has also announced its shortlist. Young artists are competing across four age categories, with category winners receiving a bespoke art box and cash prize. An overall winner will receive a personalised wooden box containing high-quality art materials and €500.
The shortlisted works from both competitions will go on display at the National Gallery of Ireland from November 14, 2026, until March 14, 2027. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Gallery on December 2.
The exhibitions will subsequently travel to Galway Arts Centre from April 3 to June 27, 2027, before moving to Limerick City Gallery of Art from July 9 to August 15.
The National Gallery of Ireland said the shortlists highlight the “incredible breadth” of Irish artistic talent, while AIB said it was proud to continue supporting the competitions.