Projects / The Imagined City

The Imagined City – Behind the Scenes: Commissioning Public Art

Duncairn Centre for Culture & Arts, Duncairn Avenue, Belfast
Thursday 8 September 2016

Members of the sector joined Household at Duncairn Centre for Culture and the Arts in North Belfast for a Public Art Masterclass with Claire Doherty, Director of Situations, the renowned Bristol-based organisation dedicated to commissioning and producing imaginative new forms of public art.

Those present included dozens of representatives from across the sector: creative practitioners (artists, writers, poets); academics (from visual arts and film departments); funders (Belfast City Council, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Dublin City Council); organisations (Catalyst Arts, Ulster University, Artists Moving Image Northern Ireland; Platform; Pollen, Flax); independent curators and producers.

Claire gave examples of ambitious and successful Situations projects in the public realm and spoke of partnerships and collaborations with commissioners, funders and local authority. In addition to Claire sharing her experience, those in attendance were encouraged to contribute their responses throughout her presentation and in the open discussion that was the focus of the second half of the Masterclass.

The Imagined City was delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council. The research and findings resulting from this programme were incorporated into a report that included sector-specific recommendations.