Ards Arts Centre reopens after six months

The centre, which is housed in the old Town Hall building in Conway Square, Newtownards has been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both of the Arts Centre’s galleries will be open for socially distanced visits, featuring exhibitions that originally opened in March before lockdown. ‘Under The Phoenix Eye’ by Raquel Amat Parra will be showing in The Georgian Gallery and ‘All Daughters’ by Sharon Canning will be on display in The Sunburst Gallery.

There will be plenty of opportunity for hands-on art and craft activity too with the commencement of the Autumn Creative Class Programme on Monday October 12. The six-week programme will include drawing, painting, floral art, jewellery-making and lots more. The classes are currently open for enrolment via the andculture.org.uk website.

To ensure the safety of visitors and staff, social distancing measures will be in operation and visitors will be encouraged to sanitise their hands at sanitisation stations dotted around the building.

Group sizes should be kept to a minimum and everyone will be encouraged to respect social distancing. In line with current Government guidelines, visitors are also asked to wear a mask when in the galleries and public areas.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Trevor Cummings, said: “It is fantastic to see Ards Arts Centre open to the public again. Engaging with the arts is so important for well-being especially in these difficult times and I hope everyone will come along and enjoy the wonderful exhibitions or sign-up to one of the creative classes.”

Emily Crawford, Arts and Heritage Manager for Ards and North Down Borough Council also commented: “We are delighted to reopen the Arts Centre after six months of closure.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the building and getting our new class programme under way.”

For more information see, andculture.org.uk.