LIMERICK City Gallery of Art (LCGA) was in the frame in City Hall as Independent councillor Maria Donoghue quizzed the Council to set out its anticipated plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary of the gallery in 2025.
LCGA, which opened as a dedicated visual arts space in 1985, welcomes over 100,000 visitors annually.
One of only two local authority galleries in the country, it is the custodian of an important collection of over a thousand works of mainly 20th Century works.
It also includes the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing and the Michael O’Connor Poster Collection.
Cllr Donoghue was informed at a meeting of the Metropolitan District that LCGA will have a full exhibition programme in place next year with six contemporary exhibitions, and EVA International also taking place in autumn 2025.
“In addition, the gallery will select and present exhibitions of works from the permanent collection, which will reflect on themes in the exhibition programme and showcase the tremendous collection of artwork that the gallery has acquired and preserved for the people of Limerick over the last 40 years,” said City and County Librarian Damien Brady.
Preliminarily plans, he revealed, are also in place to mark the 40th anniversary of the gallery with a series of historical art talks throughout the year.
The gallery is also exploring the possibility of producing a publication as a truly significant and enduring way to mark the anniversary.
“The gallery is currently in the process of applying for accreditation from the Museums Standard Programme for Ireland, which promotes professional standards in the care of collections in Irish museums and galleries and hopes to have this completed in 2025,” Mr Brady confirmed.
“This commitment to the care and conservation of the permanent collection represents a legacy project for the gallery and Limerick City and County Council in this anniversary year.”
