UPCOMING 2026
A generative residency, and Pageant Performance, New York, Spring 2026, with the presentation of a short film for ISCP on April 17, 2026, and generative elements in preparation for the Irish Museum of Modern Art Summer Performance Program, in Dublin, 2026, curated by Mary Cremin
The ISCP OPEN STUDIO | BIO-DRAMA PAGEANT | Irish museum of modern art
CCI CHERRY STREET PIER , philadelphia
Contemporary Curatorial Initiative Heritage Site Project (solo), curated by Leah Triplett, at Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, opening August 7, 2026.
The KEVIN KAVANAGH GALLERY | PUBLICATION | DUBLIN GALLERY WEEKEND
A solo exhibition of new work in Dublin, October 2026, with the launch of a special publication at the Dublin Gallery Weekend, November 2026, with commissioned texts, a public talk, and a live performance event. Shiel is represented by the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery.
viSit
Sonia Shiel is based in Dublin, Ireland. She is currently an artist in residence at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in Brooklyn, New York until May 2026. ISCP Open Studios occur on 17th April 2026, and are open to the public.
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CV
SELECTED UPCOMING 2026
Residency: ISCP|TBGS|Arts Council of Ireland|Pageant Collaborations, NY, 2026
Performance: Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Summer 2026
Exhibition: Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, curated by Leah Triplett, 2026 (solo)
Exhibition: Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, 2026 (solo)
Book: Published by Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios,Dublin Artists Book Fair, 2026
SELECTED RECENT EXHIBITIONS
Exhibition: IMMA, Dublin, Staying with the Trouble, curated by Mary Cremin, 2025 (group)
Exhibition: Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin, Periodical Review, 2025 (group)
Exhibition: Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin, Dirty Wow Sun, 2024 (solo)
Exhibition: VISUAL, Carlow, Medusa In Pieces, curated by Benjamin Stafford, 2023 (solo)
Exhibition: Kunstverein Aughrim, Wicklow, Natural Bureau, curated by Kate Strain, 2023 (solo)
Performance: TBGS, Dublin, and Kunstverein Aughrim, Wicklow, Pulse Events, curated by Kate Strain, 2023 (Collaboration)
Exhibition: Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, The Dangers of Happy, 2021 (solo)
Exhibition: Void, Derry, I am what you’ve come to see,, curated by Mary Cremin, 2019 (solo)
Performance: Void, Derry, Three Words, 2019 (solo)
Exhibition: Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Rectangle Squared, curated by Dawn Williams 2017 (solo)
COLLABORATION PROJECTS
2025/2026 Pageant, Living Skin, and ISCP New York, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin, and IMMA, Dublin - with Contemporary Curatorial Initiatives, curated by Leah Triplett.
2023/2024 Medusa In Pieces, Visual, Carlow: The Arts Council; TBG&S, 3 evolution events with costume designer, Amie Egan, Dublin, and a performance troupe
2023 Kunstverein Aughrim; Generative Events; Performance; Costume; improvisation; performing troupe, Pulse Events, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios
2023 Supernatural Bureau, Kunstverein Aughrim Mobile interactive audience collaboration, Jenny Brady videographer, and exhibition, curated by Kate Strain.
2017 Rectangle Squared, Crawford Art Gallery Round Table and vase. Recorded score; scripted improvisation; audio stations, Performance; Costume; performing troupe, script workshops.
2016 Pet Boy and The Bird’s Dream, Art Box live and recorded performance elements; costume; performing troupe; script workshops.
SELECTED AWARDS
Arts Council Bursary Award 2025
TBGS/ISCP Extended Residency Award 2026
Arts Council Bursary Award 2024
TBGS/ISCP Residency Award 2024
Arts Council Project Award Strand II Large Scale Production 2023
Arts Council Project Award Strand I Research and Development 2023
Arts Council Bursary Award 2022
Arts Council Bursary Award 2021
Arts Council Bursary Award 2019
Facebook Commission 2019
Arts Council Bursary Award 2017
Culture Ireland Funding 2014
Arts Council Project Award 2014
TEACHING
September 2025: Visiting Lecturer / Fine Art Sculpture and Combined Media BA and MA, TUS, Limerick, Ireland: Visiting lecturer and tutor, assisting with BA and MA students in developing, graduation shows with emphasis on collaboration processes and audio visual technical and conceptual solutions.
April 2025: Visiting Lecturer / BA in Fine Art SETU, Wexford, Ireland: Visiting lecturer and tutor, assisting with independent studio critique and lecturing tailored to BA students.
Feb 2022 Visiting Lecturer / BA in Fine Art TU, Dublin, Ireland: Visiting lecturer and visiting tutor, to BA Fine Art students.
November 2016 -2021 Arts Council Artist in Prison Award: short courses and exhibitions with student producing creative multi-platform projects on a group and individual basis.
September-May 2013-2015 Visiting Lecturer / BA in Fine Art NCAD, Dublin, Ireland:Visiting lecturer - BA, group seminar lead, and personal tutor, in 1st year Core Studies, and 3rd and 4th year Fine Art/Painting.
EDUCATION
MA Visual Art Practice IADT
BA Fine Art Painting NCAD
OTHER
Founding member of Round Table and Vase, an improvisation workshop: script development, and staging solutions workshop for visual artists working with performance 2026- ongoing
Full membership Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin 2022-2025
Kunstverein Aughrim Artist 2023-2024
Justice in Fiction, UCD Research Forum, Member 2017 - 2021
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