No brands. No promotions. No sponsors.
Just the authentic voice of visual artists in Ireland.
miniVAN is where the Irish visual arts community speaks in its own register — unfiltered, unbought, and unapologetically human.
There are plenty of places to find “culture” wrapped in campaigns, content “powered by” a product, or stories shaped to fit a partnership. If you’re looking for branded drops, promotional features, or sponsor-led editorial — that’s not what we do here.
miniVAN exists for the work, the workers, and the reality of making art in Ireland.
Our dedicated team achieve this using the financial support of our members, the Arts Council of Ireland, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Dublin City Council, self generated income, as well as through financial and service donations
Do you value your right to independence, freedom to think, and enjoy hearing from real people?
What we stand for
Editorial independence, always
We don’t publish sponsored content. We don’t run promotional features. We don’t sell our voice. Our editorial decisions are made by editors, writers, and artists — not marketing teams.
No-brow, insider
We’re inside the scene, but we don’t speak in code. We take art seriously without turning it into a private club. If it matters to artists, it matters here.
Useful, not performative
We champion honest writing about practice, money, labour, process, ambition, burnout, failure, discovery — and everything in between. Not just what looks good on a press release.
What you’ll find here
Studio and process: how work is actually made
Artist writing: first-person voices, reflections, field notes
Critique and context: exhibitions, ideas, and the conditions around them
Career realities: fees, funding, admin, public art, survival strategies
Scene pulse: what’s shifting, who’s building, what’s being ignored
How we work
We publish with artists, not at them.
We commission and edit with care. Clear briefs, fair process, respect for voice.
We label everything. If something is informational or affiliated, it’s explicit — but our editorial remains independent.
Why miniVAN exists
Because artists deserve a platform that isn’t trying to sell them something.
Because the visual arts deserve coverage that doesn’t flatten everything into hype.
Because “culture” isn’t a campaign — it’s a lived practice, with real stakes.
Pitching and contributing
We welcome pitches from artists, writers, curators, and collaborators across Ireland.
Bring us:
a strong point of view
a clear subject
a sense of why it matters now
writing that feels alive on the page
Find our main sites at: