The official opening of the WLD funded Gorey School of Art’s new building will take place on Friday June 3rd, 2016 at 6pm by past students at it’s location on the Mary Ward in Gorey. The event will coincide with the End of Year Exhibition by present students and all members of the community are invited to this joyous occasion. This event will mark a major turning point in the future development of creative education in the southeast of Ireland.

Gorey School of Art has a simple aim and that is to provide their students with the best possible education and they have been doing so since 1994. Their education programmes are respected throughout the country by all leading art colleges and schools, such as IADT, NCAD and Crawford in Cork to name a few. The school at present offers three full-time courses, that when completed lead towards QQI Level 5 and Level 6 awards.

Gorey School of Art (GSA) is an Apple Authorised Training Centre for Education (AATCe). Apple Certification can jump start students’ futures and distinguish them as a professional-level user of Apple’s professional applications. Participation in this programme allows GSA to offer high quality training on the same professional software used every day in current television shows, films and recording studios.

Paul Carter, Director of GSA said about the upcoming event: ‘Gorey is synonymous with the visual arts. I always feel that credit must be given to the late Paul Funge for pioneering Ireland’s first regional arts centre here in Gorey in the late ’60s. It is true to say that this legacy continues to shape the development of the visual arts infrastructure in Gorey today and the new building at Gorey School of Art is a fitting example. Paul Funge believed deeply in the benefits of exposing a rural community to the contemporary visual arts and this new facility has given Gorey an elegant and permanent platform for doing so.
The development and realisation of this project has highlighted the intense support that Gorey possess for the visual arts. With a project cost of almost €240,000, this was a hugely ambitious undertaking for a small voluntary group of local people. I would personally like to thank Nicholas Sweetman (Chair.), Cicely Roche (Tres.), Kevin O’Doherty (Secretary), Gorey Community School, Ronnie McCormick, Michael Finn, Eamonn Carter, Malcolm Byrne, Geraine O’Loughlin, Ann Myler and all previous board members for their generosity, resilience and commitment to this project. Furthermore, on behalf of Gorey School of Art I wish to thank Wexford Local Development for their contribution of €150,000. This substantial contribution, together with Tom Bermingham’s expertise, gave the project the start it needed to succeed. I would also like to thank consultant Yvonne Byrne, Senator Michael Darcy, architect Michael Molloy, Drumore Construction, Wexford County Council, former Gorey Town Council, Amanda Byrne, Gorey Chamber of Commerce and the local people and businesses who donated almost €100,000. Without your support Gorey would not have this important facility that will educate and promote the artists, designers, filmmakers and photographers of the future.

Tom Bermingham of Wexford Local Development also added that: “Paul Carter and the enthusiastic, hard-working directors deserve the highest praise for their vision and determination to develop this modern, purpose built centre ensuring that Gorey remains to the forefront in visual arts in Ireland. Through the LEADER programme, Wexford Local Development are delighted to have been able to provide €150,000 to enable this superb project to come to fruition. Of course, money on its own does not make things happen. Sometimes there is a lot of goodwill in communities, but not enough imagination and determination to bring ideas to fruition. The town of Gorey is fortunate to have all of these attributes in abundance”.

The event on 3rd June will be open to the public and GSA would like to invite the community to the launch evening so they can see first hand the amazing work that is being completed by present students. For more information, visit www.gsa.ie