A Co Down building dating back to the 1800s has been given a new lease of life thanks to a local enterprise group.
The historic High Street property in Bangor is believed to have been largely vacant for almost two decades.
Local accounts suggest that it was originally built by the Neil family, as a hotel for missionaries. Following a fire at another family property nearby, one of the Neil sons used his share of the insurance pay-out to fund the development of the building.
Over the years it’s thought to have served a range of community purposes, including a youth club, a baby clinic and a meeting space for an Orange band.
Founded by Marianne Kennerley, Boom Studios has expanded into the historic Bangor building, creating new workspace for artists and creative businesses
Marianne told The Irish News the expansion represents a growing appreciation for arts in the borough.
She said: “The move is really significant. It’s about building stability.
“This is our fourth building, which will take us up to 46 workspaces that we provide. In Bangor, that takes us to nearly 60 in total.
“It’s really embedding the creative sector into the city centre and providing a real visible presence. There’s a lot of uncertainty around what the art looks like from a political and government perspective and the support that’s going to come through for arts. It’s becoming more important for artists to take up space.
“We wanted to provide a space that was accessible and affordable and had the least number of barriers in front of people. We want to make it easy for people to step into their first studio space.”
The arts sector in Bangor is continuing to expand.
Boom fosters collaboration across the community, extending beyond its own studios through partnerships with Seacourt Print Workshop and the Courthouse, ensuring efforts are “complementary rather than competitive,” for the greater good of the arts sector.
Marianne continues: “The identity of the city is really starting to change and starting to lean into that creativity. You can see the murals coming in, junction boxes being painted, outdoor art classes happening. So, let’s start to make Bangor a place to visit again.”
Artist Jenni Robinson has worked at Boom Studios for five years after transforming her side hustle into a full-time career.
She said the move to a larger studio will enable her to expand her practice, which focuses on abstract art, printmaking, drawing and large-scale paintings.
“The move is a great opportunity; I had no real intention of moving studios when I saw this building and it was amazing. I just got like the biggest case of FOMO,” she told The Irish News.
“It was real challenge to find the floor space in the old studio, so stars all aligned really. There are new exhibitions all the time in Bangor. We try to bring a programme that will attract people back and local cafes, like pop up events.
“It is really bringing a focus to just how many artists there are in Bangor and the surrounding areas. It’s a fantastic community to be a part of.”
