Photo Museum Ireland is delighted to share that our Curator, Darren Campion, has been named as a recipient of the 2026 Research and Development Grant, funded by the Irish Museums Trust and operated in partnership with the Irish Museums Association.

The annual initiative supports museum practitioners and independent researchers to undertake personal research, experimentation and professional development across the museum sector. The 2026 recipients are Maya Anton, Darren Campion, Katie Foley, Karen Heaney and Jacqueline Toal.

Darren’s selection recognises the importance of continued research and professional development within contemporary photographic practice. As Ireland’s national centre for contemporary photography, Photo Museum Ireland’s work is rooted in exhibitions and public programmes, as well as sustained curatorial research, critical inquiry and sectoral exchange.

Research plays a vital role in how photography is understood, presented and safeguarded. It informs the development of exhibitions, supports new approaches to working with artists, and strengthens the museum’s role as a space for public learning, interpretation and cultural dialogue.

Darren’s work at Photo Museum Ireland contributes to our exhibition programme, artist development activity, public engagement and ongoing research into contemporary Irish photography. His selection for this grant reflects the value of this work within the wider museum landscape.

We extend our congratulations to Darren and to all of the 2026 recipients, and thank the Irish Museums Trust and Irish Museums Association for their continued support of research and development across Ireland’s museum sector.