Belonging, the largest exhibition of the EIB collection, in Limerick (Ireland) has attracted 26,000 visitors in less than three months—equivalent to over 25% of the host city’s population—making it the EIB’s most attended external exhibition to-date.
Belonging, the first EIB exhibition organised in a non-capital city, closed at the end of April 2022. Organised across eight landmark and historic venues ranging from cultural institutions, to a place of worship and universities, it showcased 82 works from all 27 EU Member States, as well as from the UK and the USA. Drawing upon a diversity of expression and media, the exhibition reflected on the question of what it means to belong, both to Europe and in a broader sense.
The high turnout was complemented by extensive mediation initiatives, including tours, lectures, and interactive sessions with artists, a competition centered on the art collection for local art students and community engagement events.
Initially conceived as a part of Limerick’s bid to be 2020 European City of Culture, Belonging was twice rescheduled because of the pandemic. It also served as a cultural complement to the EIB-backed projects in Limerick.
The exhibition was well-received both by the media and by key stakeholders.
External exhibitions are an important component of the EIB’s Arts & Culture programming. By activating the communicative power of the EIB art collection, they have become a key vector for cultural diplomacy. Previous external exhibitions of the EIB collection—Beyond Borders in Brussels (2018-19), Within/Beyond Borders in Athens (2011) and Lisbon (2014), and EuroScope (2015-16) in Luxembourg—have repeatedly sought to enrich the local cultural offering by bringing the collection closer to a European audience.
By offering political support in the form of a cultural initiative, Belonging underscored the EIB’s reputation as a leader in the promotion of European contemporary art—particularly socially engaged and climate-conscious art—as well as an accelerator of emerging artistic talent.
Copies of the hardcover catalogue can be ordered free of charge by contacting arts@eib.org
