PLANS to move Derry’s Void art gallery to a new location will bring art “right into the beating heart of the city”the gallery’s chairman Eamonn McCann has said.
A contemporary art gallery, Void grew from the establishment of DADA (Derry’s Artists for Derry’s Art) in 2003. It is currently based at Patrick Street but there are hopes to move to a new building at Waterloo Place in Derry’s city centre.
Community activist and Derry councillor Mr McCann said: “Relocating to Waterloo Place is a big step for Void and a great move for Derry too. Art will now have a home at the heart of the city, not set apart but amidst the swirl of everyday life.”
The new centre will include a dedicated exhibition space with two main galleries and a walk-in education area. The building will have a wide glass front, enabling it to showcase its programme even during lockdown, Mr McCann said.
Derry mayor Brian Tierney said the development was a “hugely positive move” for the gallery and for Derry.
“The central location will attract a new audience and will present a prime opportunity to showcase the work of numerous talented artists who have faced so many unprecedented challenges over the last year,” the SDLP representative said.
Void director, Mary Cremin said the new gallery would platform national and international artists. The inaugural exhibition at the new facility – “Before the Cypress Broke” – will launch on April 17.
