The Crawford Art Gallery in Cork has announced the closure date for the commencement of its major redevelopment project.
On Sunday, September 22, the facility will close the doors to the public for approximately three years as work gets underway on a €29 million overhaul that will include the building of a five-storey extension. Exhibitions will continue as normal at the gallery until the closure date.
Designed by Grafton Architects, and delivered by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Crawford Art Gallery, the revamp will add 50% more space for storage and exhibitions, and will include a new restaurant facing onto Half Moon Street.
As part of the development, the main entrance to the gallery will be returned to the original spot on the 18th-century Customs House building, and a new gallery on the fifth floor will provide birds-eye views of the city.
A tender process is currently under way for the awarding of the construction project, with the appointed contractor expected to be on site in spring 2025.
In the meantime, staff will continue to work in the gallery, packing up and despatching the collection to secure storage facilities, a huge job that started in earnest earlier this year.
Visitors to the gallery will have seen little of this behind-the-scenes work, but on Tuesday morning one of the most obvious signs of the change was apparent with the removal of a huge sculpture at the front of the building. Obelisk of Bronze by Michael Warren, the tall, slender piece in the front garden of the Crawford, was carefully hoisted by crane onto a waiting lorry in Emmet Place.
“Cork is growing, and so too are we,” said gallery director Mary McCarthy about the upcoming project.
While most of the 3,500 artworks will be kept in storage, some pieces will go on loan to other facilities such as Cork Public Museum, the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, and Hillsborough Castle in Co Down.
“We have collaborated closely with our design team and the OPW to ensure we conserve the many special elements and qualities of our buildings, while we also expand our spaces to ensure the building is fit for purpose, and sustainable for generations to come,” added Ms McCarthy.
Rose McHugh, chair of Crawford Art Gallery, praised Minister Catherine Martin and her officials for their assistance in a project that will lead to the improvement of what is the only National Cultural Institution located outside of Dublin.
“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,” said Ms McHugh.
The September 22 closure will take place just after Culture Night on September 20, when the Crawford will host a number of events. As well as the entertainment on the night, it will provide an opportunity to say ‘bye-for-a-while’ to the city’s beloved gallery.