# Aosdána

Aosdána (/iːsˈdɑːnə/ eess-DAW-nə, Irish:; from aos dána, 'people of the arts') is an Irish association or academy of artists, each of whom must have produced a distinguished body of work of genuine originality. It was created in 1981 by the country's Arts Council on the initiative of a group of writers with support from the Taoiseach. Membership, which is by invitation from current members, is limited to 250 individuals; before 2005 it was limited to 200. Its steering body is a committee of 10, called the Toscaireacht.

## Formation

Aosdána was originally set up by the Arts Council, on the suggestion of writer Anthony Cronin, with support from the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, well known for his support for the Arts, although Fintan O'Toole has argued that this also served to deflect criticism of Haughey's political actions. The first 89 members were chosen by the Arts Council.

## Membership

The process of induction relies entirely on members proposing new members, with a system of selective voting used to filter applications. Applications by artists themselves are not allowed.

### Stipend (Cnuas)

Some members of Aosdána resident in Ireland receive a stipend, called the Cnuas (pronounced, lit. 'collect, store'; a gift of financial aid put aside for the purpose of support), from the Arts Council of Ireland. This stipend is intended to allow recipients to work full-time at their art. The value of the Cnuas in 2021 was €20,180 (about £17,000 or US$23,000), having been around €17,000 for some years before that.
The poet Pearse Hutchinson, a member of Aosdána, described it as "a miracle and a godsend" that allowed him to continue writing at a time when he might have had to give up. Composer Roger Doyle has also spoken about the difference it made: "I was elected to Aosdána in 1986. This gave me a small stipend from the Government each year, which enabled me to devote all my time to composing. This changed my life for the better and I have composed non-stop since then."

### Honour - Saoi

The title of Saoi (lit. "wise one") is a national honour that members of Aosdána can bestow upon a fellow member. No more than seven living members (previously five) can be so honoured at one time. The honour is conferred by the President of Ireland in a ceremony during which a gold torc is placed around the neck of the recipient by the President.
As of February 2025, the current living Saoithe were:
* George Morrison, film-maker
* Roger Doyle, composer
* Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, poet
* Paul Muldoon, poet
Among the deceased holders of the title of Saoi are the Nobel Laureates Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney, dramatists Brian Friel and Tom Murphy, and the artists Patrick Scott, Louis le Brocquy, Edna O'Brien, and Camille Souter.

## Governance
### Toscaireacht and Assembly

The Toscaireacht ("delegation") is a committee of ten members, called Toscairí, of the Aosdána. It meets several times a year to deal with the administration and external relations of Aosdána, reports to every General Assembly, which meets once a year, and sets the assembly's agenda. When new members of Aosdána are proposed, the Toscairí have the task of verifying that the nomination process has been complied with, and also that the candidate is willing to accept membership, before the next stage of election is begun.

### Elections

Toscairí are elected to the Toscaireacht by the members of Aosdána for two years at a time. All members of Aosdána are eligible for election, and nominations must be made in writing by three members. The electoral process is in two stages. First, within each of Aosdána's three disciplines (Music, Literature, and Visual Arts), the two nominees with the highest number of votes are elected: this guarantees a minimum of two Toscairí from each of the disciplines. Next, the remaining four places are filled by the remaining nominees from any discipline who have the highest number of votes.

### Meetings

The procedure at meetings is laid down in the Toscaireacht's Standing Orders. Minutes of its meetings appear on Aosdána's website.

### Current Toscairí

As of 2025, the Toscaireacht members are:
* Cecily Brennan (Chair) (Visual Arts)
* John Scott (Choreography)
* Evelyn Conlon (Literature)
* Jimmy Murphy (Literature)
* Peter Sirr (Literature)
* John McLachlan (Music)
* Gráinne Mulvey (Music)
* Amanda Coogan (Visual Arts)
* Eithne Jordan (Visual Arts)
* Mick O'Dea (Visual Arts)