'Cork is growing, and so too are we': Crawford Art Gallery redevelopment starts with sculpture lift

Crawford Art Gallery used a crane to lift out the tallest sculpture in their collection as they announced their public closure date for redevelopment.

‘Obelisk of Bronze’ by Michael Warren, which has been in the garden of the gallery since the 1990s, was lifted out by crane yesterday morning as the director announced that the gallery will close its doors to the public on Sunday, September 22 to allow for a multi-million euro redevelopment of the facility.

“Cork is growing, and so too are we,” Gallery director Mary McCarthy said. “We are excited to be at this phase of our ambitious project, for Crawford and for Cork.”

The capital project, Transforming Crawford Art Gallery, is set to add an additional 50% of space for exhibitions, state-of-the-art storage, a facility for educational programmes and a new gallery on the top floor of a five-storey extension offering a birds-eye view of Cork city.

A restaurant facing Half Moon Street, an entrance restored to the original historic Customs House entrance on Emmet Place, as well as improved accessibility, lifts and toilet facilities are also set to be added.

A tender process is currently underway for the works which will see a contractor appointed and on site in the spring of 2025, with the works estimated to take two and a half years to complete.

Staff will continue working in the building throughout autumn and winter 2024, to safely remove the gallery’s 3,500 artworks, which will in part be housed in secure storage facilities off-site for the duration of the redevelopment.

Works will also be on loan to other galleries and museums all over Ireland, including Doneraile Court, Cork Public Museum, Hillsborough Castle, The National Museum of Ireland, the Hugh Lane Gallery, Uillinn West Cork Arts and more.

Staff will work off-site throughout the period of closure, conducting an extensive care-of-the-collection programme to conserve artworks, and liaising with other cultural institutions on a touring programme.

“We recognise that the public will miss the gallery during the necessary closure period, but the redevelopment will ensure the gallery can thrive into the future,” Chair of the gallery Rose McHugh said.