Belfast Peer Support Programme: Curator Talks | Panels (8 October)

The Belfast Peer Support Programme 2025 is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering visual artists across Northern Ireland, particularly those working in isolated and rural areas. Through curated opportunities for engagement with curators, artist talks, and professional development activities, this programme provides critical support and visibility to independent artists.

The second event in this year’s programme will see a welcome and introduction from Hugh Mulholland, curator of the MAC along with lively panel discussions on finding a community as an artist and approaching art galleries.

Structure

• 10:00am – 10:30 pm: Welcome / Introduction with Hugh Mulholland
• 10:30 am – 12:00 am: Panel: Finding Community as an Artist
• 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm: Lunch / Networking
• 12:45 pm – 2:15 pm: Panel: Approaching Art Galleries

Lunch will also be provided so do let us know of any dietary requirements when registering.

Welcome / Introduction

Hugh Mulholland, The MAC

Hugh Mulholland has been active within the Gallery/Museum Sector for over a 30-years and has gained considerable experience at a senior level. Throughout his career he has been motivated by my unwavering commitment to the advancement of artistic and curatorial practice both nationally and internationally.
He was the founding Director of Context Gallery, Derry in 1992 (now CCA, Centre for Contemporary Art, Derry/Londonderry) with the specific aim of supporting artists from Ireland, the UK and Europe to realise their first solo exhibitions. He was Director of Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast from 1997 – 2006 and is currently the Creative Director of the MAC, Belfast (2012 – present) in each institution he has placed artistic and sectorial development at the centre of the organisation.

He has also been instrumental in many of the most significant developments in the visual arts sector in Northern Ireland having initiated Northern Irelands first presentation at the Venice Biennale in 2005 and again in 2007. Throughout his career he has presented significant exhibitions in Belfast by major art world figures such as Yoko Ono, Andy Warhol, Bill Viola, Stan Douglas, Kara Walker, Peter Doig, Sophie Calle, Nan Goldin, Gilbert & George, Ron Mueck as well as offering important career defining exhibitions by Irish and UK based artists such as Helen O’Leary, Mary McIntyre, Francis Hagerty & Andrew Stones, Paddy McCann, and Niamh McCann, Carol Rhodes, Keith Wilson, Lindsay Seers, and Louise Wallace.

Panel: Finding Community as an Artist

Samar Nezamabad, Catalyst Arts

Jane Morrow, PS Squared

Jane Morrow (she/her) is a visual art curator, writer, researcher and advocate. She is Co-Director and Strategic Vision & Development Curator of PS2: a visual art organisation in Belfast, where she is responsible for programmes, partnerships, fundraising, communications and the future development of the organisation. She is interested in infrastructure for artists, working across network, production and engagement contexts to resource, nurture and profile artistic practice, and undertakes independent projects in these areas. Jane co-initiated and manages Angelica (a network which aims to amplify the voices of visual artists and curators based on the island of Ireland who self-identify as women or minority gender, who are also from underrepresented cultural or ethnic backgrounds). She is currently working on two strategic research projects, one for British Council Ireland and one for Create: the national development agency for collaborative arts. Jane is supporting numerous artists from across the UK and island of Ireland through ongoing mentorship. She is also the Secretary of the International Art Critics Association (Ireland).

Sinead O’Neill Nichol

Sinéad O’Neill-Nicholl (b.1974) studied fine art at Belfast School of Art (2015-2020). Sinéad is a current member and a former Chair and Trustee of Vault Artist Studios, Belfast. Alongside her art practice, Sinéad works as an artist mentor/coach across the island of Ireland and supports several Belfast arts organisations (Household and Creative Exchange) with financial strategy and planning. Sinéad has exhibited locally, nationally and more recently internationally, through participation in an international artist exchange in Minneapolis in June 2025.

Solo exhibitions include The C-word, paradox and optimism of the will (2022), University of Atypical (Belfast) and ni bheidh se mar a bhí (2022) at Gerard Dillon Gallery (Belfast). In August 2024, with production and creative assistance from John D’Arcy (QUB), Sinéad created an ambisonic installation ‘love reimagined; hear more, feel more’ for the Sonic Lab at SARC, Belfast. Selected awards include Immersive Arts UK (2025), Household Belfast Commissioned R&D (2024), Arts Council NI, Individual Artist Digital Evolution Award (2023), ACNI SIAP (2023)(2019), Screaming Pope Award Finalist (2021), Catalyst/Kilkenny Exchange Award (2020).

Panel Moderator: Emer Ferran, Visual Artists Ireland

Emer Ferran is the Project Manager for Visual Artists Ireland (since 2023), leading on Lifelong Learning and the annual VAI Get Together conferences. She holds a BA (Hons) in History of Art and Architecture from Trinity College Dublin, a Higher Diploma in Arts Management from UCD, and a Master of Business Studies from the Smurfit Business School.

Panel: Approaching Art Galleries

Viviana Checchia, VOID Arts Centre

Viviana Checchia is a curator, programmer, and researcher active internationally, and currently Director of Void Art Centre in Derry where she instigated a living practice of Social Permaculture.

Viviana is also Co-Director of ‘Vessel’, an international curatorial platform based in Puglia, South of Italy, for the support of social, cultural, and economic development through contemporary art.

Previous to these roles she was Residency Curator at Delfina Foundation, London, Senior Lecturer on the MFA at HDK-Valand, University of Gothenburg and Public Engagement Curator at the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow. Viviana has produced and contributed to a range of international projects, including the Young Artist of the Year Award, Ramallah and the 4th Athens Biennale.

Viviana has lectured on curatorial studies and contemporary art practice at amongst others: the Centre for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, New York, MA Social Practice and the Creative Environment, Limerick Institute of Technology; the International Academy of Art Palestine, Ramallah. With Anna Santomauro, she received the 2013 ICI/Dedalus Research Award for research into the legacy of socially-engaged art practice in the U.S., and in 2016 was awarded the Igor Zabel Award for Culture and Theory Laureate’s choice for her contributions to the comprehension of and international interest in Eastern European art. Viviana holds a PhD from Loughborough University that focused on alternative Mediterranean curatorial practices. She currently serves as a trustee of cultural organisation, Timespan, Helmsdale, Scotland.

Peter Richards, Golden Thread Gallery

Peter Richards is the Co-Director and Head of Exhibitions at the Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast. He has over 20 years of experience in the arts, both as an artist and curator. Since 2001, he has overseen the realisation of over 250 exhibitions at the Golden Thread Gallery and at venues in America, China, Tiawan, and across Europe. Peter is a former Co-Director of Catalyst Arts, and a founding member of the Board of Directors of Bbeyond.

Ben Crothers, Naughton Gallery

Ben Crothers is a Belfast-based curator, currently working in the role of Curator and Collections Manager at Queen’s University Belfast, a position which he has held since 2015. His curatorial practice has seen him deliver projects and complete residencies at a number of renowned venues such as Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast), Ex Elettrofonica (Rome), SOHO20 (New York), Comic Arts Brooklyn (New York), and the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University (Columbus). Ben has developed exhibitions with an exciting range of artists including Laura Callaghan, Faith Couch, Buck Ellison, Adham Faramawy, HuskMitNavn, Marie Jacotey, Sarah Maple, Locky Morris, Zanele Muholi, Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Paul Pfeiffer, John Rainey, Cindy Sherman, Tom of Finland, Jennifer Trouton, and Harumi Yamaguchi. Ben is also Chair of the Board of Directors of Flax Art Studios and Co-Chair of the Belfast Visual Arts Forum. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Ireland Museums Council and sat on the selection panel for the 2026 British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Ben holds a BA in American Studies & Film Studies and an MA in Art History & Film, both from the University of Essex.

Panel Moderator: Riann Coulter, FE McWilliam Gallery

Riann Coulter is a curator and art historian specialising in Irish and British modern and contemporary art.

She studied at Trinity College Dublin and holds and MA and PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. She has over 20 years’ experience curating and co-curating exhibitions for regional and national institutions throughout Ireland including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hibernian Academy, National Gallery of Ireland, National Museums Northern Ireland and the F.E. McWilliam Gallery where she is currently curator and manager.

The Belfast Peer Support Programme is supported by Belfast City Council and in partnership with the MAC.

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