Ormeau Baths Gallery

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The Ormeau Baths Gallery in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is one of Ireland's premier contemporary art spaces. It has curated exhibitions by prominent international artists including; Yoko Ono, Gilbert & George, Victor Sloan, Bill Viola, Hans Peter Kuhn, Stan Douglas, David Byrne, Willie Doherty and Alastair MacLennan.

There are four main galleries with a total exhibition space of 10,000 square feet. It is located on the site of a Victorian Bath House. In 1995 its conversion to an art galley once again restored the venue to the public realm. Hugh Mulholland, previously the founder and Director of Context Gallery in Derry, has been the Director of the Ormeau Baths Gallery since 1997. The gallery programme includes a mix of solo and group shows; national and international in all art disciplines. The Ormeau Baths Gallery is managed by a Board of Trustees.

It also organises Perspective, an annual open submission exhibition with works selected by well-known figures from the art world. Perspective offers an important platform for the presentation of new approaches and ideas within contemporary visual art practice from around the world.

[edit] Gallery closure

The gallery used to receive its major funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council, but in a surprise move, the Arts Council suddenly announced [1] at the end of February 2006 that it was not going to renew its funding, and that the gallery would close [2] and all its staff be made redundant four days later. Over the last 18 months, there have been ongoing problems between the gallery and the Arts Council over financial and management issues - which have culminated in the withdrawal of funding, and caused the gallery's closure.

A silent protest vigil of Irish artist and gallery supporters was held outside the locked gallery at 1pm on 1 March 2006. Over 100 people braved the snow showers to protest at the sudden closure.

The Arts Council responded [3] to a number of questions posed by gallery staff, seeking to address possible misconceptions, and explained the council's desire to see the gallery space "opened again in the immediate future".

A public meeting was held on Saturday 4 March 2006 at 2pm at Belfast Exposed photo gallery to allow interested parties to get more information on the circumstances relating to the closure.

[edit] Gallery reopening

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland are going to reopen the gallery to the public on 9 June 2006, showing the Collectors' Collections of international art held in private and public collections across the island of Ireland.

The Council's Chief Executive explained:

"We will be managing the gallery directly, but only in the short term until an independent board can take over the reins. The Arts Council is currently engaged in discussions with representatives from the whole of the visual arts community and with potential partners about the future management ... We hope to be able to make an announcement on the future management structure by the autumn."