Exhibitions

Down Arts Centre has a dedicated gallery space that changes on a monthly basis hosting photographic, ceramic and a variety of visual arts throughout the year.  This year some of the highlights are Tom Bevan, Prism Arts and a group show by Top Floor Art.

Inspired By

An Exhibition of work by Top Floor Art Studio Collective, joined by the ‘Our Stories’ Project Glebe House, Kilclief @ Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick, Co Down.   June Through August 2023

Top Floor Art Studio Collective: a group of textile and mixed media artists that meet and work at Top Floor Art Gallery, Saintfield. Participating artists are Hazel Bland, Gerry Graham, Lynda Kelly, Carolyn MacDougall, Jaele McColgan, Janice McHenry, Bridget Pullen and Emma Whitehead. The Artists support and encourage each other’s practice, while collaborating in joint projects, and exhibitions.

The Collective also aim to encourage others to develop their creative skills through the delivery of bespoke workshops.  Consequently, they are delighted to offer this Exhibition in partnership with their friends based at Glebe House, Kilclief, who have been involved in the ‘Our Stories’ project.

Date: Thursday 22 June – 26 August 2023

Time: During Opening Hours

Price: Free

Prism: Down

Prism Print International is an internationally based organisation founded in 2012 to promote artistic exchange, collaboration and international understanding through fine art printmaking. Prism draws its roots from the profound international experience of two alumni of Camberwell School of Arts & Design.  Founders John Akatsu Read and Nigel Oxley curated the first Prism exhibition of UK and Japanese represented by Yanagisawa Gallery, Tokyo. 

Thirteen years later this voluntary organisation has 46 selected artists from 18 countries and a catalogue of international and national exhibitions.  The exhibitions have only one continuous theme ‘Printmaking’ and allow each artist to be seen with prints of the highest standard where process and technique can be appreciated as well as their singular vision, influenced or not by their nationality.

Curated for Down Arts Centre by Prism Print International member Karen Daye-Hutchinson ARUA ARE has selected the works for this important exhibition of ‘naked prints’.  Unframed original prints for the full appreciation of the real quality of mark and colour, of paper texture and even aroma.

Image: Karen Daye-Hutchinson, Rembrandts Extinction - in progress, 76cm x 56cm, 2023, Image courtesy of the artist

Date: Friday 1 September – Friday 29 September 2023

Time: During Opening Hours

Price: Free

Re-Connecting 

Rachel Fitzpatrick is a designer and maker working at the interfaces of art, design and social practice. Re-Connecting explores the artist’s reconnection with making and colour while learning to reframe her creativity living with acquired brain injury. Re-Connecting spans the gallery spaces exploring visual elements of Rachel’s rediscovery of her creativity. Her work initially began with making but with an absence of confidence in colour. The pieces explore reconnection with colour through making, place and storytelling with pieces taking inspiration from stories depicted in native folk songs.

Date: Thursday 5 October to Friday 3 November 2023

Time: During Opening Hours

Price: Free

How to Unexplode

Patrick Sanders (14 July 1976 – 16 January 2017) - illustrator, performer, artist and activist.

Patrick sought to explore and confront stupidity and prejudice in every sphere of his short life, seeking to use his undoubted skills to educate where possible and lampoon where not. A gentle radical; his art is incendiary only when strictly necessary.  His death by suicide in 2017 robbed the world of a unique voice and an emerging talent who was just beginning to get deserved recognition for his inspired and insightful work.

He spoke out against medieval bigotry and oafishness and used his exceptional artistic talent to imagine a more enlightened, united Northern Ireland.  He was central to the grassroots arts scene and understood its importance as a breeding ground for protest and political transformation.

This exhibition is just a small selection of his extraordinary body of work, his legacy, and his unique world view. He will be forever missed.  But his work shines on.

This exhibition is dedicated to fearlessness, to glorious mischief, to hope and to love.

Date: Thursday 9 November to Friday 22 December 2023

Time: During Opening Hours

Price: Free