Model Arts and Niland Gallery

The Model, home of the Niland Collection, is one of the leading centre for the contemporary arts in Ireland. Located in Sligo, on the West Coast of Ireland, The Model houses several exhibition spaces focusing on contemporary art and education activities, a collection of 20th Century Irish art called The Niland Collection, a cinema/venue for concerts, and an artist-in-residence program in addition to artist studios on site. The Model also runs diverse music, film and performance programmes.

Location

The Model occupies the former Model School building on The Mall in Sligo. The building had a major addition in 2001 designed by McCullough Mulvin Architects. The building was shortlisted for several architectural awards. Sarah Glennie, who curated the 2005 Irish Pavilion in the Venice Biennale, was the Artistic Director of The Model between 2005 and 2008. The current Director/Curator is Seamus Kealy, who has produced touring and award-winning projects such as Unterspiel, 18:Beckett, Signals in the Dark: Art in the Shadow of War.

Collection

The Niland Collection contains over 300 works, including pieces by Paul Henry, Louis Le Brocquy, Estella Solomons, George Russell and Jack Butler Yeats. The Niland Collections boasts one of the most significant collections of Yeats work in Ireland, many of which record experiences and memories of his time living in Sligo and its environs.

Notable exhibitions at The Model have included solo shows by Patrick Hall, Sean McSweeney, Patti Smith, Gerard Byrne and Andy Warhol.

The Model reopened after a major redevelopment on May 1st 2010, which has made the centre into one of Ireland’s most unique cultural spaces. Designed by Sheridan Woods Architects this extension to The Model increased the building by a third in size to create a world-class visitor centre. The extension provides new, exemplary, artist studios, a purpose-built performance space and a new entrance from a new civic plaza. The extension also allows for new gallery to form a complete Gallery circuit for the visitor, a new reception are and bookstore and a new destination restaurant by chef Conrad Gallagher.

External links

• www.themodel.ie The centre's own website.
• [1] The Model's Official facebook page
• www.sheridanwoods.ie Sheridan Woods Architects and Urban Planners.