News

Uillinn/Crespo Residency Award 2023

Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre and the Crespo Foundation are very pleased to announce visual artist Dominic Thorpe as the recipient of the inaugural Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre Residency Award 2023 supported by the Crespo Foundation. The Frankfurt-based foundation, originally established by the photographer, psychologist and philanthropist Ulrike Crespo (1950-2019), carries out operational projects in the fields of art, education and social affairs.

The Uillinn/Crespo Residency is a residency opportunity open to contemporary visual artists based outside the county of Cork and encompasses a purpose-built studio at Uillinn, accommodation in Skibbereen, travel costs and a weekly stipend of €350 over an eight-week

period from 22 July to 16 September 2023. The open call for the residency received 167 applications from all over the world. The selection panel noted the exceptionally high standard of proposals received.

Dominic Thorpe works in performance art, as well as drawing, video, photography, installation and relational processes. Dominic’s work has addressed a range of critical content, most recently focusing on collective memory and perpetrator trauma. He has regularly engaged with artist-run initiatives as well as inclusion and education-based projects and organisations.

Dominic Thorpe, Constrain, 2018, Greenway Boston (detail); photograph by Jordan Hutchings, courtesy of Uillinn.

FUTURES 2023

PhotoIreland announced the five Irish artists selected to join the FUTURES Photography Platform in 2023. They are: Aindreas Scholz, Emilia Rigaud, Niamh Barry, Phelim Hoey, and Ryan Allen. In joining the platform, now in its sixth year, they not only enter a growing list of talent from across Europe, but also benefit from a growing range of opportunities supported by Creative Europe and the 18 platform members planned throughout the present year, culminating in an annual networking event at the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Centre in Budapest.

PhotoIreland continues its role as the Irish member of the platform, supporting contemporary artists and bringing international practices to Ireland. Currently, PhotoIreland is working closely with FOMU, Fotodok, and Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Centre co-curating the annual travelling FUTURES exhibition and co-editing the annual publication. The exhibition will travel to Fotodok and then to Dublin in July 2024, in the context of the FUTURES Meet Up event, and will be accompanied by a busy networking and educational programme for audiences and artists in addition to the exhibition.

Cathedral Buildings Fire Support

Former tenants of Belfast’s Cathedral Buildings, which was devastated by fire last year, are set to benefit from £154,696 of funding support to sustain their work.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland announced that 13 former tenants of Cathedral Buildings are set to receive £154,696 of exchequer funding, supported by the Department for Communities (DfC) and Belfast City Council, as part of the Cathedral Buildings Fire Support Programme.

On Monday 3 October 2022, the Old Cathedral Buildings on Donegall Street, Belfast, was devastated by fire severely impacting the livelihoods of the many creative businesses, sole traders and practicing artists based there.

Following an initial exercise to gauge the former tenants’ needs, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Department for Communities and Bel-

fast City Council, launched the Cathedral Buildings Fire Support Programme in December 2022. The programme offers former tenants funding to counter the costs incurred as they relocate and seek to re-establish themselves.

Dr Suzanne Lyle, Head of Visual Arts, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland welcomes this good news and is grateful to the Department for Communities for making this vital funding available to those whose livelihoods were devastated by the Cathedral Buildings fire. This funding is absolutely critical in helping these artists and arts organisations reactivate their work, sustain their artistic practice and manage existing projects.”

John Ball, Head of DfC’s Arts Branch said: “The Department’s support to those impacted by the fire in the Cathedral Buildings is a signal of the importance placed on the people and organisations who work to make our arts sector what it is. We were pleased to be able to work together with the Arts Council, Belfast City Council and Libraries NI to provide this practical and much needed help.”

Councillor Ryan Murphy, Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee said: “The impact of the fire has been devastating for the former tenants of Cathedral Buildings. As well as providing funding, we’ve worked in partnership with the Destination CQ BID, to support tenants to relocate, to navigate their insurance policies where possible, and to offer business support services. I’m glad that we’ve been able to collaborate with the Department for Communities and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to give these businesses and cultural organisations vital support and I wish them all every success in their new locations.”

Another recipient of the Cathedral Buildings Fire Support Programme is Digital Arts Studios (DAS), a non-profit organisation that provides artists’ residencies, equipment hire, training, outreach and exhibitions. DAS is a space for artists and creatives to work, learn and advance their careers and the organisation aims to support and encourage visual artists whose innovative work merges with digital technolo-

gies. DAS will use their funding to replace equipment that will be used by visual artists on the DAS residency programme and by participants in their in-studio workshops, training and support hub services.

Dr Angela Halliday, Director, Digital Arts Studios, commented, “Digital Arts Studios is delighted to have received funding from the Cathedral Buildings Fire Support Programme. This funding will help purchase essential equipment for artists to use to develop skills and create new work. Digital Arts Studios is grateful to the Department for Communities, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council for this much-needed assistance, and we look forward to welcoming artists to our new premises at 1 Exchange Place, Belfast, where they can make use of the new equipment and resources.”

All those set to receive funding through the programme include:

• Aidan Mulholland T/a Mulholland Violins (£45,280)

• Dermot Gibson (£600)

• Digital Arts Studios (£21,100)

• Ellen Blair (£829)

• Elly Makem (£607)

• Excalibur Press Ltd (£21,851)

• Form Native Limited (£11,461)

• Hazel Alderdice T/A Perfect Fit (£5,045)

• Jennifer Mehigan (£11,405)

• Nicholas J Larkin T/A Roscio Films (£4,207)

• Oranga Creative Ltd (£12,804)

• Suzanne Magee (£1,573)

• Timothy Farrell (£17,934)

Pallas Projects/Studios Charity Status

Pallas Projects/Studios and its Board of Trustees are delighted to announce that the organisation has been granted Charitable Status by the Charities Regulator. This hugely significant development, a key objective of their long-term strategic planning, is the culmination of several years of dedicated work. It helps ensure that the organisation is best placed to continue their role as a leading exponent of artist-run practices on the island of Ireland, and to provide and develop opportunity for Irish artists to make and exhibit cutting-edge and experimental work.

In addition, and in line with recent organisational and programmatic developments and in tandem with their Charitable Status, they wish to announce a restructuring of roles at Pallas Projects/Studios. They are delighted that their long-standing assistant curator Eve Woods is to take on the role of Curator/Programme Producer, with Mark Cullen and Gavin Murphy acting as joint Artistic Directors.

Pallas Projects/Studios and its Board of Trustees would like to thank all those involved in the organisation, their staff, studio artists, exhibiting artists and those who visit, engage with their exhibition and education programmes. In particular they wish to thank The Arts Council for their continued support.

Pallas Projects/Studios look forward to continuing their role in advocating for increased supports for artists workspaces in 2023 and beyond, and in delivering artistic and educational programmes to ensure the best emerging and early career artists can have every opportunity to thrive and produce new, exciting and meaningful work, now and into the future.

Eight artists awarded studios at TBG+S

Temple Bar Gallery + Studios is pleased to announce the awarded artists from the open call for Three Year Membership Studios and Project Studios.

Three Year Membership Studios have been awarded to Clodagh Emoe, Lisa Freeman, Jaki Irvine, and Jesse Jones. Project Studios have been awarded to Tara Carroll, Maïa Nunes, Mandy O’Neill, and Luke van Gelderen.

Three Year Membership Studios at Temple Bar Gallery + Studios offer a long-term tenure to artists who have developed an established, professional practice. Project Studios offer a one-year tenure to artists who are developing exciting emerging practices and demonstrate talent and potential.

The artists were awarded their studios by a selection panel following an open submission application process. The panel included current TBG+S Studio members and established curators based in Ireland and internationally. The artists are representative of the high-quality and rigorous contemporary art practices in Ireland today.