Tender is a student-led publishing project curated by the Art in the Contemporary World master’s programme at NCAD in response to the National Gallery of Ireland’s decision to award its café contract to Aramark, a company that operates several Direct Provision centres.

The project invites the public to reflect on the ethical responsibilities of cultural institutions, and how the choices they make align with, or contradict, the values they present to the public.

Sixteen students designed a series of 20 riso-printed postcards, freely available for anyone to send to the National Gallery. Each postcard offers a different artistic response: some critique the gallery’s decision, some highlight human rights concerns within Direct Provision, and others question how museums present history, culture, and power.

At its core, Tender is a call for care, asking for our cultural spaces to be tended to with integrity, transparency, and compassion. It encourages open dialogue between institutions and their audiences, and invites people to take part in shaping a more ethical cultural landscape.