Art Exhibition

“Sharing Horizons” is an exhibition of art from the collections of Central Bank of Ireland and the European Central Bank. It is presented in conjunction with the Embassy of Ireland in Germany.

Taking place during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it celebrates Irish identity and culture on the European stage.

The exhibition runs from 22 July – 25 September 2026 and is open to visitors attending guided tours of the European Central Bank’s offices in Frankfurt.

About the Exhibition

Drawing from the collections of both institutions, Sharing Horizons features work by Irish artists spanning the 19th to 21st century. The exhibition offers a visual exploration of art as a unifying force in today's increasingly fragmented world, inviting visitors to discover what it means to be Irish through creativity, heritage, and shared European values.

The exhibition is divided into three thematic sections:

• What is it to be Irish?
  Exploring Ireland's distinctive visual identity through its landscapes, people, and cultural heritage
• 1973: Ireland Joins the EU
  Examining the transformative moment when Ireland entered the European Economic Community and began defining itself by future potential rather than by history alone
• Meta-Modern Ireland
  Reflecting contemporary Irish identity as diverse, outward-looking, and navigating its role within a globalised Europe.

The Catalogue

A comprehensive catalogue accompanies the exhibition, featuring forewords from Christine Lagarde (President of the European Central Bank) and Governor Gabriel Makhlouf (Central Bank of Ireland). The catalogue includes detailed essays on the exhibition's themes, artist profiles, and full-colour reproductions of works on display, offering readers an in-depth exploration of Irish artistic achievement and its contribution to European culture.