Elaine Byrne has been named winner of the 2026 RCSI Art Award for her piece ‘Alessia'. Now in its 11th year, the RCSI Art Award, in association with the RHA and The Irish Times, recognises the link between art, medicine and well-being.

Elaine Byrne ARHA is a highly regarded Irish contemporary artist whose practice spans photography, video, sculpture and installation. Her winning piece, Alessia, is a photographic print on archival paper.

Byrne frequently uses individual subjects, landscapes, or constructed scenes to point toward larger questions about identity, belonging and human experience. Rather than presenting straightforward portraits or narratives, her photographs often invite viewers to consider what lies beneath the visible surface.

As part of the award, Byrne will receive the RCSI Silver Medal as well as €5,000 to progress her practice and a commission to the value of €10,000 to create a new work for the RCSI art collection.

Dublin artist Byrne has exhibited widely in Ireland and internationally, and her work is held in major public and private collections, including the Arts Council of Ireland and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She is an Associate Member of the Royal Hibernian Academy (ARHA).

Out of the 601 works on display at the 196th RHA Annual Exhibition, five pieces, including Byrne's, were shortlisted for the RCSI Art Award. These pieces were Different Strokes by Erica Coburn, Tide Rising, Lennon Estuary by James English RHA, Ciotola Inclinata by Michael Foley and Baby Teeth 2 by Vivienne Roche RHA. All works of art, in any medium, selected for the annual exhibition were considered for the RCSI Art Award.

Elaine Byrne commented on the award saying; “I am delighted to receive this award and sincerely thank RCSI, the RHA and The Irish Times for their support. As an artist, the opportunity to continue making and developing new work is crucial. I look forward to creating a commission for the RCSI collection and to engaging with ideas of care, healing and human experience that resonate so strongly with both my practice and RCSI's mission.”

Art and healing

Professor Cathal Kelly, RCSI Vice Chancellor, said: “Each year, the RCSI Art Award reminds us of the profound relationship between art and healing. Art has a unique ability to deepen our understanding of the human experience, fostering empathy, reflection and connection across diverse perspectives.

“I am delighted to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Elaine Byrne ARHA, winner of the 2026 RCSI Art Award. Through her thoughtful and research-led practice, Elaine explores themes of identity, care, belonging and the social dimensions of human experience. Her work invites us to look more closely at the people and stories that shape our world, encouraging reflection on our shared humanity. I look forward to seeing the new commission she creates for the RCSI art collection and to the contribution it will make to our ongoing dialogue between the arts, health and well-being.”

The 2026 RCSI Art Award Selection Committee comprises: Professor Deborah McNamara, Past President, RCSI; Sinéad Ní Mhaonaigh, President, RHA; Nathalie Weadick, Interim Director, RHA; Gemma Tipton, The Irish Times; Dr Abdul Bulbulia, RCSI Alumnus and founder of Waterford Healing Arts; Aíne Gibbons, Director of Development, Alumni Relations, Fellows and Members, RCSI; Professor Clive Lee, Professor Emeritus, RCSI and Professor of Anatomy, RHA; Liz Hughes, Head of EDI Unit, RCSI; and Dr Michael Daly, Senior Lecturer, RCSI.

The RHA Annual Exhibition is open to the public until 9 August 2026. Find further information on the RHA Annual Exhibition here.