Aosdána, the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland, held its 21st General Assembly at Dublin Castle on Thursday 5 February. Six new members were elected to the exclusive organisation, bringing the total membership to 199 artists. Membership of Aosdána is by peer nomination and election, and limited to 200 living artists, engaged in music, literature and the visual arts, who have produced a distinguished body of work. Literature, music and the visual arts are currently the only three categories of membership. Joining literary luminaries such as Seamus Heaney and Colm Tóibín will be poets Moya Cannon and John F. Deane; novelist and poet Trevor Joyce and playwright Jimmy Murphy. Visual artists to be honoured are sculptor Eileen MacDonagh and painter Geraldine O’Reilly. As in previous years, the Toscaireacht (governing committee) of Aosdána invited motions for the Assembly from its members, which explore issues relevant to the arts and artists in society. One of the motions adopted included a proposal to extend the categories of membership to include architects and choreographers; the status of film makers as artists in their own right was endorsed. A full list of current and former members of Aosdána is on the website.