Speaker Launches Art Exhibition Tour

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 16 October 2016

Reference: SO 06/06/17

Speaker of the NI Assembly, Robin Newton MLA attended the opening to launch the first art exhibition of ‘Stormont: A Sense of Place’, which was commissioned by the NI Assembly, in the Centre. The art exhibition will be at the EastSide Visitor Centre until 22 November 2016.  The Speaker of the NI Assembly, Robin Newton MLA, is pictured with Maurice Kinkead, CEO Eastside Partnership.
Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye 

Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Robin Newton MLA has launched the tour of the art exhibition, 'Stormont: A Sense of Place', in the EastSide Visitor Centre, East Belfast.

Speaking at the launch, Speaker Newton MLA said: "I am delighted to officially open this fantastic art exhibition, particularly as the first venue on its tour of Northern Ireland is within my own constituency and in a brand new tourist attraction, designed to showcase the many famous faces and places of East Belfast.

"I recently announced my intention as Speaker to focus on 'Creating Opportunities' and believe that Parliament Buildings should act as a platform to inspire and encourage the potential within our society by seeking to create opportunities for others. The art exhibition greatly reflects this theme by creating the opportunity for the work of the students of the Belfast School of Art to be seen both in Parliament Buildings and now by many more people across Northern Ireland.

"Students from the Belfast School of Art have clearly been inspired by Parliament Buildings, both as an iconic building, and as a place of work for the Assembly. It was encouraging that many of the artists focused their visions on the themes of diversity, reconciliation, equality and progress. I would encourage anyone who hasn't yet been able to view the paintings, to visit the exhibition at a venue near them over the next few months."

The artwork by students from the Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, was commissioned by former Speaker Mitchel McLaughlin and was on display in the Great Hall from March – September 2016. Artists were asked to create an illustration in response to an aspect of a shared history and future through a visual exploration of Parliament Buildings and Stormont Estate.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

The exhibition will remain in EastSide Visitor Centre until 22nd November, when it will commence its tour of venues across Northern Ireland:

  • EastSide Visitor Centre, East Belfast – now until 22nd November.
  • Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick – December 2016.
  • Fermanagh House, Enniskillen – January 2017
  • The Tower Museum, Derry/Londonderry – May 2017
  • The Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena – June 2017
  • The Museum and Civic Centre, Carrick – July 2017

For any media enquiries, please contact:

Caroline Moore
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Tel: 028 90 52 1606
Email: Caroline.Moore@niassembly.gov.uk

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