Acquisitions
In summary the Library collects:
- Material relating to Irish art and design in its various forms, from the 20th century onwards.
- Material relating to artists and designers resident but not born in Ireland or who have exhibited here for a prolonged period.
- Records of the National College of Art & Design, the parent institution.
The term ‘visual art’ is used in the broadest sense to encompass art forms from painting and sculpture to design, craft and fashion. While there has tended to be an emphasis on the fine arts in available material, the Library is greatly concerned with the documentation of applied art and design.
The Library acquires documentation generated by or about artists, designers and others engaged in some way with art and design including collectors, writers, critics, commercial dealers and galleries, societies, artists’ groups and studios, and institutions that contribute to the visual culture of Ireland.
Documentation in all formats is acquired. Correspondence, diaries, manuscripts, notebooks, sketchbooks, artists’ records of their own work, administrative records of art galleries and institutions, audio-visual material, photographs, slides, press material and ephemera are all of interest. Books, journals, and catalogues are also collected. The Library does not collect actual works of art. Material is acquired by bequest, donation, by long or short term loan (deposit) or by purchase.
One key aspect of our acquisition policy is that we do not judge materials based on artistic ‘quality’, proficiency, or reputation; every artist and item is equally valued at NIVAL. Nonetheless, these efforts do not always ensure equity, and despite the policies in place, we recognise a lack of representation in certain aspects of our collection, particularly around artists and designers coming from diverse ethnic, cultural and gender backgrounds and nationalities. We are keen to engage with and hear from all artists, especially those who have been traditionally excluded from public-access collections.