Visual Arts

Artform Definition:

Visual Art covers a wide range of activities and covers the creative and expressive use of a range of materials and methods. The visual arts include: painting, sculpture, printmaking and drawing; through to the use of sound, moving images and new technologies.

The Arts Council is committed to supporting artists in their career development and is interested in living artists whose work is innovative, experimental and challenging.

We are also committed to the development of a strong visual arts infrastructure that will ensure that production, presentation and critical debate takes place within conditions that are appropriate and encouraging.

Current Initiatives:

• The Arts Council of Northern Ireland supports artists through the Support for the Individual Artist Programme.

• We support a visual arts infrastructure to enable the production, presentation and analysis/archiving of work through a range of grant programmes.

• We support education, outreach and participatory opportunities through a range of lottery funded programmes.

• We are committed to improving the conditions within artists’ studios and pursuing sustainability in this area.

• The Arts Council recognises the importance of partnership working and is committed to an ongoing relationship with other significant agencies within visual arts, in particular MAGNI and the University of Ulster School of Art and Design.

• The Arts Council seeks to provide international opportunities within visual arts through specific award schemes and through its ongoing partnership with the British Council. We are committed to an ongoing presence at the Venice Biennale and to exploring new and diverse initiatives aimed at both production and presentation.
  
  
  

Publications and Information

Artform Policy Document (PDF)

Arts Council of Northern Ireland Collection online

Safeguarding Policy (PDF)




Contact Us:

Further information on any of the Council’s funding programmes and/or its strategic interests in this field may be obtained from:

Deirdre Robb
Visual Arts Officer
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
MacNeice House
77 Malone Road
Belfast . BT9 6AQ
Tel: 028 9038 5241
Email: drobb@artscouncil-ni.org

Joanna Harvey
Arts Development Officer - Visual Arts
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
MacNeice House
77 Malone Road
Belfast . BT9 6AQ
Tel: 028 9038 5262
Email: jharvey@artscouncil-ni.org

Relevant Links:

Visual Artists Ireland

Ormeau Baths Gallery

Golden Thread Gallery

Belfast Exposed

Millennium Court Arts Centre

Source Magazine

Circa Magazine

Queen Street Studios

BBC 'The Power of Art'

Arts Council useful links (Visual Arts)