Catalyst Arts a non-profit
artist-run space based in
Belfast city centre.
History
Catalyst Arts was formed in 1993 in response to what was seen as a cultural vacuum. In accordance with its constitution it is run by unpaid
volunteers, and seeks to adopt a poly-vocal strategy towards the promotion of contemporary art practices by large selection of artists and projects from the widest possible range of disciplines. It is modeled after
Transmission Gallery
Transmission Gallery is an artist-run space in Glasgow. It was established in 1983 by graduates of Glasgow School of Art. It primarily shows the work of young early career artists and is run by a changing voluntary committee of six people. Amon ...
, and spawned
126 Artist-run Gallery
126 Artist-run Gallery is an artist-run space located in Galway City, Ireland. It was founded in 2005 and "has built an international reputation for ambitious programming."
History
126 was founded in 2005 by artists Austin Ivers and Ben Geoghe ...
.
Catalyst Arts was envisioned as an agency that would act as a '
catalyst' cajoling, supporting and promoting culturally engaged artistic endeavours on a local, national and international basis Academic and critic,
Declan Long
Declan Long is an Irish art critic and lecturer specialising in contemporary art made in ‘Post-Troubles’ Northern Ireland.
Career
Declan Long is programme director of the MA course 'Art in the Contemporary World' at the National College of ...
describes Catalyst as a "locally influential... collective."
Catalyst Arts was founded on a constitution that provides a structure in which power flows from the roots of its membership to the committee of directors. Catalyst Arts boasts an archive of over 2000 unique documents of
Northern Irish art history, which it is currently preparing to make publicly accessible. Catalyst Arts has also organised projects internationally.
Catalyst has strong links with the
University of Ulster. Catalyst Arts has shown works of
David Shrigley, Ross Sinclair,
Susan Phillipz
Susan is a feminine given name, from Persian "Susan" (lily flower), from Egyptian '' sšn'' and Coptic ''shoshen'' meaning "lotus flower", from Hebrew ''Shoshana'' meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose" and a flower in general), ...
, Phil Collins, Michelle D Hannah, Roddy Buchanan,
Simon Starling,
Bill Drummond to name a few, and has turned the gallery into a sauna with Joanna Karolini. They have also worked on exchanges with 126 in
Galway.
See also
Edinburgh's ‘New 57’ Gallery's (1957 – 84)
References
External links
Catalyst Arts Official Website
British artist groups and collectives
Art in Northern Ireland
Organisations based in Belfast
Arts organizations established in 1993
1993 establishments in Northern Ireland
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