Belfast Open Studios 2015

Just how does an artist get from an idea  to a finished exhibition?

Belfast Open Studios, hosted by Visual Arts Ireland, is an invitation to the public to come and see how artists work and to take a glimpse into the creative processes.

Sponsored by local artisan tea makers Suki Tea, Belfast Open Studios events offer a warm welcome to all with a cup of Belfast Brew on arrival before they take a relaxed and informative stroll around the various studios, each day from 1pm – 5pm.
Thursday, 22nd October 2015

Lunchtime: Val Office and Information point – Curators Meet & Greet.
Visiting curators will talk about their work and what they look for in artists at this informal lunchtime networking event.

Evening: Open Studios Launch and the announcement of the winner of the 2015 Suki Tea Art Prize @ 8pm in Stormont (Invitation Only – Join the Visual Artists Ireland mailing list to get more details)

Friday 23rd October

10am – 11:30: Pollen Studios: Mind under Matter
Join artist and Pollen Studio member Katrina Sheena Smyth on a one-hour journey of embodied movement, sound and self-expression.  The workshop will depart from the Pollen Studios Gallery.

11am – 5pm: Open Studios
Spend the day exploring hidden parts of the city and you will discover over 200 artists working in 16 studios throughout Belfast.

12pm – 4pm: Meet artists without studios at the Golden Thread Gallery

1pm – 4pm: Studio walking tour

Join us for a guided walking tour around seven city centre studios. Leaves from the VAI office and info point Royal Avenue.

2pm – 4pm: Belfast Print Workshop: Experimental screen printing demonstration.

Leo Boyd will be doing a demonstration of experimental screen print techniques based around one of his new pictures ‘Computer Break-Up’. Using a combination of collage, painting, and screen painting Leo will create a limited edition of prints which you can take away with you.

6:30pm: Show & Tell, Conway Mill
Quickfire presentations from ten artists without studios.

Saturday, 24th October 2015

11am – 5pm: Open Studios
Spend the day exploring hidden parts of the city and you will discover over 200 artists working in 16 studios throughout Belfast.

11am: Loft Studios: Street art ‘How To’ with Eoin McGinn

11am – 5pm: Artists at the Mill: Blindfold drawing & Consequences
Visitors will be invited to sit and sketch – this may include ‘Blindfold Drawing’ and ‘Consequences’. Each drawing will be put up on display for the duration

12pm – 2pm: Array Studios: Drawing with Light with Jane Butler
Array Studios presents Light Drawing Sessions with artist & studio member Jane Butler. Through light, colour, shape and the camera lens, InCube will be transformed into a mini light studio for participants to make their own light pictures to take home.

12pm – 4pm: Meet artists without studios at the Golden Thread Gallery

12.30 – 1.30pm: Digital Arts Studios: Hitch Loops with David Haughey
In one hour, participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to get familiar with the GIF.
Using Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” winged terrors will peck repeatedly faces, claw at doors and break windows, in endless loops. An overview of how to make a simple GIF loop on your phone, advanced loops on your desktop, and how to share them, will be demonstrated.

1pm – 4pm: Studio Walking Tour:

Join us for a guided walking tour around seven city centre studios. Leaves from the VAI office and Info Point Royal Avenue

2pm – 3.30pm: Platform Arts: Studio Members’ Show & Tell
Short presentations from the studio artists at Platform that promise to be entertaining as well as enlightening.

2pm – 3pm: Pollen Studios: Casting and Mould Making

Discover how to make a two part mould and become obsessed with casting.

Learn the basic tips and techniques as well as equipment needed to make successful casting work.

6:30pm: Creative Exchange Studios: Open Show & Tell
Quickfire presentations from ten artists without studios.

8:30pm: Farewell Drinks, The Sunflower