The 41st edition of EVA International will bring an expansive, multi-voiced programme to Limerick in 2025, weaving together local, national, and international perspectives under the curatorial direction of Eszter Szakács in collaboration with the EVA team.
This year’s “Guest Programme”, titled It Takes a Village, borrows its name from the proverb about collective care, using it as a framework to explore ideas of collaborative partnership, social justice, and historical repair. A diverse roster of artists will take part, including Noor Abuarafeh, Reza Afisina, Marwa Arsanios, Ana Bravo-Pérez, Ruth Clinton and Niamh Moriarty, Family Connection (Glenda Martinus, Rudsel Martinus, Jörgen Gario, and Quinsy Gario), damdam (a “collective of collectives”), Ciarán Ó Dochartaigh, Yazan Khalili, Anikó Loránt, Naeem Mohaiemen, Eoghan Ryan, and Eimear Walshe.
Running in parallel will be the EVA Platform Commissions, a set of projects that interrogate and expand definitions of access, selected by Iarlaith Ní Fheorais and Roy Claire Potter. Participating artists in this strand include Éireann and I (Joselle Ntumba and Beulah Ezeugo), Bridget O’Gorman, Colm Keady-Tabbal, Olivia Normile, and Lyónn Wolf, whose work will be presented in collaboration with El Reid Buckley and Dyke Nite. The commissions aim to invite audiences into a broader conversation about inclusion, visibility, and the structures that enable or restrict participation in cultural life.
EVA International will unfold across multiple sites in Limerick city, ranging from traditional gallery spaces to more unconventional settings such as fishmongers and community hubs. This year’s programme also stretches outward through partnerships with other biennials and cultural organisations, reinforcing the biennial’s commitment to building a network of exchange. The variety of venues and collaborators reflects the curatorial emphasis on thinking from many vantage points, encouraging audiences to imagine what a more shared and equitable future could look like.
Opening weekend will be marked by a series of talks, performances, and live events, offering a first opportunity to engage with the artists and their work. Scheduled highlights include artist talks and performances from Lyónn Wolf, Ana Bravo-Pérez, Noor Abuarafeh, and Eimear Walshe, each bringing their own perspective to the biennial’s themes.
The official event will close with an afterparty on 29 August at Dolans in Limerick, hosted in collaboration with DYKE NITE x The Breeding Room, promising a lively conclusion to the day’s events. With limited capacity for the party, advance booking will be essential — a fitting reminder that in this “village” of shared culture, participation is both a privilege and a collective act.
Header: Reza Afisina, “to have heart like grass, holds up and stands fast”, 2025
