the GALLERY | Siamsa Tíre: art and folk = new adventures in visual culture
The Space
Situated adjacent to the theatre, the galleries are a purpose built visual arts area which include four galleries including a large round gallery, two smaller galleries and a space for video projection.
The Round Gallery is one of the more unusual spaces but always popular with artists in the way art works in the space. It is a rotunda with 20 metre and 7 metre continuous walls. The curve in the wall is noticeable but is not an issue for small to medium works. Where necessary addtional, free standing panels are used for very large works. The walls are rendered in sand and cement giving a lightly textured but extremely durable hanging surface. It is capped by a conical roof with a 4 metre wide skylight at the apex. It is 10 metres across, 8 meters high in the centre. The floor is 40% grey marmoleum. Light is a combination of good overhead daylight and supended lighting track with units supplied by WINK lighting.
The smaller galleries are conventional with a ceiling height of 3 metres. Gallery Two and Three have two main hanging walls each measuring 3 metres high by 4 metres.
The Programme
The Gallery is funded primarily by the Arts Council An Chomhairle Ealaíon. | The visual arts programme challenges the traditional attitudes associated with arts centres and contemporary visual arts space. Located in the home of the National Folk Theatre, the gallery has a particular interest in the resonance between folk culture and contemporary visual culture. The aim of the gallery is to support artists to make new work. The supports include material grants (including framing), research programmes, residencies, part-time employment and an attractive fee structure.
The programme has an international element (as of February 2010 this includes active programmes in the US, Newfoundland, Shanghai and France) but the focus here is on creating opportunities for Irish artists. These programmes include but do not exclusively consist of exhibition. However, The Gallery operates on a co-operative basis with a range of high value partners – the Shorelines Project, Cork Film Centre, Dingle Film Festival, TCD, Ceardlann na gCroisbhealach an Fhalcaragh, Le Centre Culturel Irlandais and the Don Gallery, Shanghai for Instance.
