Cork's Crawford Gallery gets green light to proceed to tender on ambitious plans  

A VIEWING gallery commanding a panoramic vista of the Cork city skyline will be one of the iconic features of the Crawford Gallery redevelopment which has been given the green light from Culture and Arts Minister Catherine Martin to proceed to invitation to tender stage.

The ambitious plan to redevelop the gallery is one of a number of projects to be included in the programme of investment under the National Development plan, a programme which aims to see many of the country’s national cultural institutions restored and completed.

The Crawford Gallery is unique in that it is the only arts body outside of Dublin to be designated national cultural institution operating entirely outside of the capital and the proposed design by Grafton Architects will address long-standing challenges with the building’s sustainability and provide it with fit for purpose storage spaces for its priceless collection of paintings and objets d’art.

The new design will also provide new exhibition spaces, a learn and explore facility aimed at engaging new audiences and a viewing gallery.

The gallery will remain open as it is until August and work is scheduled to commence on the redevelopment a number of months later.

Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin described the project as an ‘exciting development’ for the Crawford Gallery which would provide a ‘beautiful new public building in Cork’.

“I am confident this reimagination of the building will support the development of the gallery long into the future and help it play an even more significant part of Irish cultural life,” she said.

The Office of Public Works has been working with the Crawford Gallery and the design team led by Grafton Architects to bring the project to the latest milestone, according to OPW Minister for State, Kieran O’Donnell.

“The refurbishment works on this historic building will provide a space that is more accessible to the public through creating new universal access to the gallery,” said Minister O’Donnell.

The latest announcement was described as a ‘significant milestone’ for the Crawford Gallery by its director, Mary McCarthy, who expressed delight following the confirmation of the news.

“As well as providing significant new cultural space for the public, the capital redevelopment project will provide essential preservation and protection for over three centuries of existing built heritage, revitalising the life of Crawford Art Gallery’s existing much-beloved gallery spaces for centuries to come,” said Ms McCarthy.

The proposed redevelopment, which is funded through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and will be delivered by the OPW, aims to add approximately 1,700 square meters in new gallery space, courtyards and other facilities to the Crawford Gallery..