It’s hard to believe, but this month The Model marks a 4-year anniversary since a major redevelopment project in 2010 by architects Sheridan Woods which saw the centre reopen with extended gallery space, a new performance venue, state of the art digital film screening facilities, an enhanced café venue, bookshop and artists studios.
Last year, we welcomed record visitor numbers of almost 97,000 and so far in 2014, the centre has exceeded this achievement with an increase of almost 50% in those attending exhibitions and almost 20% visitors to the building in general.
The Model has a range of new offerings that are aimed at those who have knowledge of visual art as well as those who are stepping a toe in the water for the first time.
Art & Coffee mornings on Tuesdays at 11am for those new to art or those who want to improve their knowledge in a relaxed, informative and social setting.
Late opening Thursdays – The Model’s exhibitions are now open until 8pm on Thursday nights featuring Things go Dark, a new show featuring the work of nine contemporary Irish artists, as well as ‘Patrick Hall Selects’ drawn from The Model’s own Niland Collection.
Gallery Tours are offered every Saturday and The Model’s current exhibition is a fantastic way to gain a comprehensive overview of recent trends in Irish painting.
A major new Jack Yeats show will also open on 31 May and continue throughout the summer. The exhibition will be complemented by a new traditional music commission: Ensemble Eriu will create a new piece of music inspired by the vernacular music of Yeats lifetime. The new piece will be performed at The Model during Fleadh Cheoil na hErieann in August.
We are also delighted to hear news of a €7000 award under the Local and Regional Museums Scheme. This funding will make the publication of The Niland Collection Catalogue a reality. The full-colour book, which is dedicated to Nora Niland has been seven years in the making and features selected highlights from the collection. It will be launched on Yeats Day, 13 June with a special talk by political cartoonist and historian Nicholas Robinson. Booking for this free event is essential.