Belfast-based curatorial collective HOUSEHOLD are delighted to have been invited to curate a visual arts programme for this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.

We have invited seven of Belfast’s most exciting artists and an experimental theatre group to work in three unused and unusual properties in the heart of Belfast: a retro 1970’s office building on North Street, a disused ‘Mr Pound’ shop on High Street and a former architect’s office on Hill Street.

Make your way to the third floor of a mysterious unused office at 7 North Street, where artist Tonya McMullan has created interventions that explore her performative and participatory practice and highlight the histories of everyday life.

Belfast-based theatre group Skinnybone have reanimated the second floor at 7 North Street with their unique brand of surreal, immersive theatre and performance. Limited numbers during their performances guarantees their audience an intimate, unpredictable and thrilling experience (please note: all tickets sold out).

In an empty architect’s office at 41 – 43 Hill Street, artist Liam Crichton will present a new monumental installation incorporating the whole of this impressive space.

Over on 18 High Street, five very different artists will complete a fast-paced, 10-day visual art ‘Exquisite Corpse’. Given a total of two days each, artists Laura McMorrow, Martin Boyle, Brian Morrison, Catherine Devlin and Colm Clarke will create work in response to that of their predecessors without knowing beforehand what they will encounter or what the final outcome will be! Expect an end result that will be unpredictable and a surprise for both the artists and the audience

Finally, join HOUSEHOLD for a tour of all three venues in the Cathedral Quarter on Saturday 11 May at 1pm, where we will walk around each venue offering insight into the artists’ work and the curatorial approach to this project.

Opening Times:

41 – 43 Hill Street and 7 North Street: Work by Liam Crichton and Tonya McMullan can be viewed: Thursday 02 May, 6pm – 8pm | Tuesday 07 May – Friday 10 May, 4pm – 6pm | Saturday 11 May, 12pm – 6pm.

Skinnybone Theatre performances at 7 North Street: Friday 3rd, Thursday 9th, Friday 10th May at 7:30pm and Saturday 4th May 2:30pm (please note: all tickets sold out)

18 High Street: The Exquisite Corpse can be viewed: Thursday 02 May | Saturday 04 May | Monday 06 May | Wednesday 08 May | Friday 10 May, 6pm – 8pm | Saturday 11 May, 12pm – 6pm.

Artist Biographies:

Tonya McMullan: www.tonyamcmullan.co.uk | www.primecollective.wordpress.com

Liam Crichton: www.crichton-ross.com

Laura McMorrow: www.lauramcmorrow.com

Martin Boyle: www.martinboyle.freeiz.com

Brian Morrison: www.brianjmorrison.wordpress.com

Catherine Devlin

Colm Clarke: www.colmclarke.info

Skinnybone Theatre is Nick Boyle, Bronagh McCrudden, Jack Geary, Stephen Todd, Ben Maier, Claire McCartney and Adam Bargoff

About HOUSEHOLD:

HOUSEHOLD is a Belfast-based curatorial collective that encourages audiences to re-negotiate how they view and interact with art in urban and domestic spaces. The collective aims to create opportunities to experience new artworks in unrestricted, non-commercial and non-institutional contexts.

www.householdbelfast.co.uk

Acknowledgements:

With thanks to McConnell Chartered Surveyors & Property Consultants and Crothers Chartered Surveyors