Ormeau Baths Gallery facts for kids
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The Ormeau Baths in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was once a very important place for showing contemporary art. This means it displayed new and modern artworks. Many famous artists from around the world, like Yoko Ono and David Byrne, had their art shown here.
Today, the building has a new purpose. It is now a modern space for technology and digital businesses. It helps new companies grow and connect in Belfast.
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A Look Inside the Gallery
The Ormeau Baths Gallery had four main areas where art was displayed. These spaces were very large, covering about 10,000 square feet. The building itself used to be a Victorian bath house, a place where people could go to bathe. In 1995, it was changed into an art gallery, opening its doors to the public once again.
Hugh Mulholland was the director of the gallery from 1997 until it closed in 2006. He helped plan many different art shows. These shows included art from single artists and groups, both from Northern Ireland and other countries. All kinds of art, like paintings, sculptures, and digital art, were featured.
Why the Gallery Closed
The gallery received money from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council to help it run. However, in February 2006, the Arts Council made a sudden announcement. They said they would stop giving money to the gallery. This meant the gallery would close and all its staff would lose their jobs just four days later.
Many artists and people who supported the gallery were upset. On March 1, 2006, over 100 people gathered outside the closed gallery. They held a quiet protest, even though it was snowing, to show their disagreement with the closure. A public meeting was also held to give more information about why the gallery closed so suddenly.
Reopening and Final Closure
The gallery did reopen for a short time on June 9, 2006. It showed an exhibition called Collectors' Collections. This show displayed international art owned by people and groups across Ireland.
In April 2007, the gallery was relaunched with a new independent board. Professor Kerstin Mey from the University of Ulster led this new group. However, the gallery closed for good in October 2011. The board explained that running the gallery was very expensive. They also said that exhibition costs had gone up, and they were getting less money from sponsors. They thanked the Arts Council and Belfast City Council for their help over the years.
A New Beginning
In 2017, the Ormeau Baths building was relaunched again. This time, it became a modern workspace for digital and technology businesses in Belfast. It now serves as a place for new ideas and connections in the local economy.
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