JP Keating has been shortlisted for the inaugural Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize, a new national award which celebrates outstanding contemporary photography made in Ireland.
“It’s a huge honour to be involved. There are so many great photographers working in Ireland at the moment, so to be included is really great,” he said.
The shortlisted photograph for the award is of Baba Williams, a Sudanese refugee from his documentary project which showcased the lives of men living in an IPAS centre in Courtown Hotel.
Selected from over 1,300 entries, JP is among 33 photographers shortlisted across the country, whose works represents diverse and powerful responses to this year’s theme.
The award was announced by Photo Museum Ireland, with the prize recognising exceptional photographic work under the theme: Community – Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – It is in each other’s shadow that we live.
The exhibition will be open at Photo Museum Ireland from Wednesday, April 22 until Sunday, May 24 while the winners of the Taylor Wessing Irish Photo Prize will be announced on opening night. First prize winner will be awarded €10,000, two runners-up awarded €2,500 each, and the thirty shortlisted artists will receive an exhibition honorarium award.
JP participated in a photography workshop with men living in the IPAS centre in Courtown.
Speaking further about the project, JP said he first approached the men in the IPAS centre in 2024, with the idea of documenting their lives. “I began photographing the men living there around two years ago in an effort to humanise their experiences and help break down some of the barriers that can exist between them and the wider community.
“From the beginning, the men have been incredibly welcoming and open to being photographed, which has allowed the work to develop naturally into a cohesive series of portraits that together tell the story of life within the hotel,” JP said.
Trish Lambe, CEO and Artistic Director of Photo Museum Ireland was delighted to announce the inaugural shortlist and said it was a defining moment for contemporary photographers in Ireland.
“The artists shortlisted this year reflect the depth, diversity and ambition of photographic practice across the Irish community. Their work engages powerfully with the social and political realities shaping our time, while engaging in vital international conversations about the evolving role of photography,” she said.
Adam Griffiths, Partner and Head of the Dublin Office at Taylor Wessing said they are committed to nurturing artistic talent at every stage to ensure contemporary photography receives both national and international recognition.
“It is our privilege to help provide this platform for voices that reflect, challenge and celebrate what it means to belong in Ireland,” he added.
Stephanie Warner, Cathaoirleach Joe Sullivan, Emmanuel Ehikioya, JP Keating, Barkhad Mire and Cathaoileach Donal Kenny at the Art Exhibition in collaboration with JP Keating at Gorey Library. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench
In October 2024, JP published a photo essay documentary in The Guardian UK surrounding the experiences of men living in the IPAS Centre in Courtown.
“I also ran a photography workshop with a number of the residents over the course of the summer, encouraging them to photograph their own lives and experiences from their own perspective,” he said.
In September 2025, an exhibition titled, Shared Space: Life at the Courtown Hotel was exhibited at Gorey library to display the work produced from JP’s workshop.