Ormeau Baths Gallery Shock - Part 4

Well there Dear Listener, I hope you were interested in Letter to America's reporting on the closure of the Ormeau Baths Gallery as presented here:

Letter to America - The Ormeau Baths Gallery Special

and in these posts:

Ormeau Baths Gallery Shock - Part 1
Ormeau Baths Gallery Shock - Part 2
Ormeau Baths Gallery Shock - Part 3

There's a new blog set up by the Campaign for the Ormeau Baths Gallery which can be found here:

Campaign for the Ormeau Baths Gallery

Here's the text of the email sent out by the folks behind the above website:

Dear all

In light of the recent removal of funding from The Ormeau Baths Gallery
by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, an official blog has been set
up in support of the OBG.
Information will be posted to this blog on a regular basis. The url is

http://www.campaignforobg.blogspot.com

The email address of Campaign for Ormeau Baths Gallery is
[email protected]

This is the official campaignforobg blog setup in reaction to the Arts
Council of Northern Ireland's withdrawal of funding to the Ormeau Baths
Gallery. This action forced the closure of the gallery resulting in the
OBG team losing their jobs. It was thanks to the staff, lead by the
director Hugh Mulholland, that gave this gallery it's international
reputation. This blog is the central information point for the on-going
campaign and issues surrounding the situation.

The blog will act as a central point of information regarding the
campaign. Interested parties can see documents and information
regarding how people can support the campaign on this blog.

Comments for posting on the blog can be sent to the email address

Here is a chronology of events to date re OBG Closure

Sept 05 Negotiation between OBG Board & ACNI about a way forward

Oct 05 - Jan 06 Step by step OBG addressing ACNI requests, including
ongoing submission of monthly financial reports.

Feb 06 OBG draft advert for new board as requested and proposed
timescale for restructuring sent to ACNI for approval.

Feb 06 ACNI not give approval and state OBG now in “non compliance”
with terms of grant and Council vote unanimously to withhold final
payment of grant for current yr and any future funding.

Feb 06 OBG Board appeal against decision to withhold grant in face to
face meeting with Chief Exec. and senior officers of ACNI

Feb 06 ACNI reject appeal and draft “Joint statement” to be signed by
OBG chair regarding ensuing insolvency and would release final payment
for use with creditors.

28th Feb 06 OBG Board announce insolvency with immediate effect
including making all staff at OBG redundant. Dorr of OBG closed.

ACNI make public statement declare “company” is closed down but ACNI
holding £300,000 for next financial year and in discussions with visual
arts sector to reopen under new management as soon as possible.

1st March 06 Visual Arts Sector hold public silent protest outside OBG

3rd March 06 Protest at ACNI expressing lack of confidence in ACNI

4th March 06 Public meeting at Belfast Exposed to review events
including 5 questions raised by sector and ACNI response.

With thanks
Campaign for OBG

Now here's the thing Dear Listener - I was sent a separate email by the Campaign folks that I clicked on and thereby unwittingly added my name to list of contributors to the OBG site. 

I have been neutral in this dispute so far as I do not know the players involved, and am new to the 'Art Scene' here in Belfast.  But now it seems I've taken sides, (albeit not on purpose - sort of like those folks who download attachments containing a virus - I feel like a n00b).

Anyhew, the question becomes this - should I stay neutral or join those fighting to keep the gallery open?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And thanks to 'you know who' for taking the above staged photo of me in torment over this issue.  I like the one below because it's more butch - that'll be this year's Christmas Card to Michael Heenan.

Comments

[Phil]

Are you wearing 'city boots'?

[Alan]

Jett - there are a lot of themes running through LTA - one of which is public meetings.

There was another one this week in the City Hall about the lack of improvement in the red light zone situation since the meeting you attended in January ...

[Alan]

And the URL got missed off ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4781144.stm