Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)
The Irish Museum of Modern Art Dublin, experiments with engagement across a wide audience. It shows leadership and innovation and sets an example for European art museums.
Judges’ statement
The jury of the 2025 EMA Art Museum Award awarded the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in Dublin for its innovative programming and inclusive engagement strategy. IMMA explores challenging contemporary issues like decolonization, racism, war, and conflict while maintaining artistic integrity. Irish artists play a key role, but IMMA skillfully integrates local and international perspectives.
The museum systematically experiments with engagement across all audience segments, with notable innovations in diversity and inclusion. As a radically public space, community engagement, accessibility, and local citizenship are central to IMMA’s mission and activities. Its innovative approach sets a best practice for European art museums.
Judges’ report
The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), established in 1991 in the historic Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin, presents a selection of its permanent collection in a visually appealing and intellectually challenging thematic and temporary exhibition that is free of charge.
The museum is situated on 48 acres and is surrounded by a formal garden and expansive parkland. It offers rich contextual information through a website and prioritizes the visitor’s experience, with departments focused on audience engagement, learning, exhibitions, sustainability, and more.
IMMA’s strategic plan (2024-2028), introduced by its director, Annie Fletcher, outlines its mission as a Catalyst for Change, a Radically Public Space, a Centre for Research and Innovation, and a Global Connector. Innovative initiatives like Living Canvas, a large digital art screen featuring contemporary art films and moving image works, offer new ways to engage the public. IMMA’s ethos is rooted in participation and inclusion, with programs like the Matheson Creativity Hub and the Art & Ageing Horizons programme supporting community groups and individuals with dementia.
The institution’s commitment to sustainability aims to make it Ireland’s first regenerative museum. It uses solar energy, calculates its carbon footprint, and hosts an annual Climate Festival that engages diverse stakeholders.
As a meeting point for community and cultural diplomacy, IMMA influences public discourse. It’s one of six sites for Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2026. Through exhibitions, public programs, and partnerships, IMMA fosters civic engagement and transformative cultural dialogue.
Website: https://imma.ie