Turner Prize winner Duncan Campbell says just being nominated for the honour gave him great heart.
The Dublin-born artist was awarded the prize last night for his series of films called "It for Others".
The pieces take in images from Africa and the Troubles in Northern Ireland and were described by the judges as "topical and compelling."
He says the stg£25,0000 (€31,534) prize will go on, what he called,"normal" things and help pay the rent on his studio.
Mr Campbell was nominated for his contribution to Scotland's pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Responding to Chris Marker and Alan Resnais' 1953 film "Statues Also Die", "It for Others" included new work by choreographer Michael Clark.
He makes films about controversial figures such as Irish political activist Bernadette Devlin, or the quixotic car manufacturer John DeLorean.
By mixing archive footage and new material, he questions and challenges the documentary form.
The artist had been favourite to win and collected the honour on a programme broadcast on Channel 4 last night.
Duncan Campbell explains the thinking behind his project:
