Council announces plans to turn historic NI home at park into ‘cultural visitor experience'
Golden Thread Gallery has secured £83,270 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to undertake a feasibility study in partnership with Belfast City Council, which owns Wilmont House, which is a Grade B+ listed building, with the council also saying it is carrying out a condition assessment of the property to inform the study.
The feasibility work will explore the viability of transforming Wilmont House into 'a community and arts space' that 'celebrates the building's built, cultural, and environmental heritage.'
It also aims to make the most of its distinctive open space setting with a consultation among park users and community groups planned for the summer.
Footage of historic building - Potential restoration of Wilmont House moves a step close
Once complete, the findings from both the feasibility study and the condition assessment will be brought before councillors to decide how to progress any future works, including exploring a range of funding options.
Peter Richards and Sarah McAvera, Co-Directors with Golden Thread Gallery, said it will hopefully offer a 'unique experience for visitors.'
'We are thrilled to be working along with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Belfast City Council on the feasibility of restoring Wilmont House as a cultural venue,' they said.
'The gallery has been developing a collection of Northern Irish Art and Northern Ireland's first Visual Arts Research Library and Archive since 2019. This project will assess whether Wilmont House is an appropriate home for these and other collections to be seen and enjoyed by the residents of and visitors to Belfast.
'Wilmont House offers the perfect opportunity to blend art, culture and the environment and create a unique experience for visitors that could include sculpture trails, art activities, exhibitions and reading rooms.'
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, also celebrated the work and added: 'This is just the first step in a lengthy process and, while it isn't a guarantee that Wilmont House can be returned to its former glory any time soon, it's still a moment worth marking.
'Previous expressions of interest processes have not secured an economically viable use for this beautiful building, but we recognise its significance to the city, and the park, and we want to find a way of bringing it back into use that really works.
'Golden Thread Gallery approached the council last year with a vision for Wilmont House which reflects the amazing work they have done at Queen Street in Belfast city centre, transforming the former Craftworld premises into a vibrant gallery space with a strong community engagement ethos.
'Thanks to National Lottery players, our council has been able to access funding to breathe new life into other historic buildings, most recently at the Strand Cinema and Templemore Baths. We value the Heritage Fund's support to Golden Thread Gallery to undertake this feasibility study.
'This is an opportunity worth exploring and, while the concept of a community and arts space may grow and change as both these pieces of work progress, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Wilmont House.'
Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: 'Finding a sustainable future for Wilmont House is of great public interest and we are committed to strengthening heritage to be adaptive and financially resilient so that it contributes to communities and economies.
'We are pleased to be able to support Golden Thread Gallery with funding to provide capacity and expertise to develop their long-term organisational and financial plans and consider the role that Wilmont House could play in realising them.'
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