Ormeau Baths Gallery
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,
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, now a home to tech and digital businesses in a modern contemporary building, was one of
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
's premier
contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...
spaces. It curated exhibitions by prominent international artists including;
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,
Gilbert & George Gilbert Prousch, sometimes referred to as Gilbert Proesch (born 17 September 1943 in San Martin de Tor, Italy), and George Passmore (born 8 January 1942 in Plymouth, United Kingdom), are two artists who work together as the collaborative art d ...
, Victor Sloan,
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, Hans Peter Kuhn, Stan Douglas, David Byrne, Willie Doherty and Alastair MacLennan. There were four main galleries with a total exhibition space of . It was located on the site of a Victorian Bath House. In 1995, its conversion to an art gallery once again restored the venue to the public realm. Hugh Mulholland, previously the founder and Director of Context Gallery in Derry, was the Director of the Ormeau Baths Gallery from 1997 until the gallery's closure in 2006. The gallery programme included a mix of solo and group shows; national and international in all art disciplines.


2006 gallery closure

The gallery received its core funding from the
Arts Council of Northern Ireland The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (Irish: ''Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster-Scots: ''Airts Cooncil o Norlin Airlan'') is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964, as a successor to ...
and
Belfast City Council Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the ...
, but in a surprise move, the Arts Council suddenly announced at the end of February 2006 that it was not going to renew its funding, and that the gallery would close and all its staff be made redundant four days later. A silent protest
vigil A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' ( Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become gener ...
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 to a number of questions posed by gallery staff, but failed to substantiate allegations they had made prior to the closure. 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.


Relaunch and final closure

The gallery was temporarily reopened to the public under Arts Council control on 9 June 2006, showing the ''Collectors' Collections'' of international art held in private and public collections across the island of Ireland. It closed again on 28 October 2011, but was relaunched in April 2007 under the leadership of a new independent board, led by Professor Kerstin Mey of the
University of Ulster sco, Ulstèr Universitie , image = Ulster University coat of arms.png , caption = , motto_lang = , mottoeng = , latin_name = Universitas Ulidiae , established = 1865 – Magee College 1953 - Magee Un ...
. The final closure of the gallery was announced in October 2011. In a statement, the board cited "the high operating costs of the gallery, a general rise in exhibition expenses and more recently, a reduction in income from sponsorship, and corporate events held in the gallery", and expressed its thanks to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council for their financial support over the years. Relaunch in 2017 as a modern contemporary workspace for digital and tech businesses in Belfast


External links


Baths Gallery home page


References

{{Museums and galleries in Northern Ireland, Ormeau baths relaunches 2017=Ormeau baths relaunches in 2017 as a co working space for tech and digital businesses to drive the local economy and act as a lightning rod for opportunity and connection. Buildings and structures in Belfast Art museums and galleries in Northern Ireland Tourist attractions in Belfast Grade B1 listed buildings