Collection: Neil Shawcross RUA

Neil Shawcross is one of Northern Ireland’s leading artists. Although born in Lancashire he has lived and worked in Northern Ireland since 1962, when he became a lecturer in art at the Belfast Art College. 

Shawcross is well known for his portraits, which include a picture of the writer Francis Stuart for the Ulster Museum. His work has been exhibited widely , and is held in the permanent collections of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

He was elected an Associate of the Royal Ulster Academy of Art in 1975, and was made a full Academician in 1977. He won the Academy's Conor Award in 1975, its Gold Medal in 1978, 1982, 1987, 1994, 1997 and 2001, and its James Adam Prize in 1998.

He recently exhibited a large scale solo exhibition as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.

Shawcross was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to arts in Northern Ireland.