Life-sized reproductions of some of the world’s most famous works of art are to be installed in Armagh as part of a unique link-up with the National Gallery in London.
And the images will also be projected on to the façade of the city’s Market Place Theatre, a special attraction for night-time visitors.
While Armagh will see the first installations, they will move elsewhere across the borough during the exhibition run.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council – along with Derry and Strabane District Council – were the only two local authorities in Northern Ireland selected to participate in the aptly-named ‘Art on Your Doorstep’ scheme.
In all, 12 ‘partners’ from across the UK were selected as hosts by the National Gallery, which experienced an “unprecedented” level of interest.
The touring programme is designed to bring life-sized reproductions of iconic artworks directly into communities
across the UK.
Armagh may manage a Monet, desire a da Vinci or seize a Cezanne, while a Titian’s certainly nothing to be sneezed at!
Running from June 2025 through until the late winter of 2027, it aims to “widen cultural participation by installing free, outdoor exhibitions in public spaces”.
ABC Council’s economic development and regeneration committee agreed to the partnership with the National Gallery and to a further report being brought back regarding locations for the exhibits.
Brian Johnston, head of tourism, arts and culture, told the March committee sitting: “In terms of costs for this, I think the National Gallery is contributing the first £5,000 for the reproductions. We estimate that it will cost in the region of £5,000 for ourselves to then make the reproductions and get these out on site.”
Alderman Ian Burns said he was “happy” to propose the initiative.
“I think that if it’s next year, it would be a great way to launch the extension to the FE McWilliam Gallery,” he said at the meeting.
Councillor Ian Wilson seconded acceptance of the recommendations.
A briefing paper to the March sitting had explained what it entailed: “The programme places high-quality, full-scale reproductions – in their frames and printed in fine detail – across towns and cities, allowing the public to engage closely with masterpieces outside traditional gallery settings.
“The project forms part of the Gallery’s national outreach strategy to extend access beyond Trafalgar Square, working with 12 partner organisations across all four UK nations.
“Each partner collaborates with the Gallery to select up to 30 artworks, with exhibitions designed to reflect local character, heritage and community input. These installations often take the form of trails linking artworks to key public sites.”
The first host city was Stoke-on-Trent, which launched its exhibition in June last year and put on show 15 works of art as part of its centenary celebrations.
The briefing paper adds: “The programme combines cultural enrichment, community participation, and placemaking. By bringing national masterpieces directly into everyday surroundings, Art On Your Doorstep seeks to inspire local pride, increase access to visual arts, and embed creativity more deeply into public life.”
In March 2025, representatives from the National Gallery visited the ABC Borough. At that time, they suggested Armagh as the initial location for the artworks and, following that, these would be distributed to locations across the borough.
The first installation in Armagh is planned for spring 2027.
The artworks will be temporarily exhibited throughout the city from March to September 2027, after which they will be relocated to various sites across the borough for the remaining months.
The specific locations for the displays are still being identified.
Other events and initiatives are planned around the exhibition.
The paper explains: “In parallel with this initiative, officers have developed a complementary programme in partnership with the Market Place Theatre, the Community Arts Programme, FE McWilliam Gallery and Armagh County Museum. The programme aims to highlight local collections and promote ‘art on our own doorstep’.
“As part of this programme, an open call will be issued to individuals, organisations, businesses and schools across the entire ABC Borough. This call will invite residents, community groups, schools, and museum visitors to create artwork in response to the project.
“This approach is intended to maximise borough-wide participation. All submitted artwork will be curated and showcased in a dedicated public exhibition. Community engagement activities are scheduled to begin later in 2026.
“Through partnership with the National Gallery and other project collaborators, the Market Place Theatre will help us reach a broad section of the community and provide opportunities for people to view some of the nation’s most cherished masterpieces. The theatre proposes digitally projecting a selection of the artworks onto the exterior façade of the building during evening hours throughout the project period.
“This free public display will enable residents and visitors to enjoy the artworks, learn about the artists, and highlight the richness of the National Gallery’s collection.
“In addition, the theatre will develop a programme of workshops for schools, community groups and the wider public. These may include guided painting and craft sessions, art history talks, and family-friendly drop-in activities where children can experiment with techniques used by the featured artists.
“Given its proximity, Armagh City Library will be invited to collaborate by promoting the borrowing of art books, offering opportunities to learn more about the artists represented, and supporting storytelling and hands-on workshops for pre-school,
primary, and secondary students.”
And it adds: “Throughout the duration of the project, Armagh County Museum and FE McWilliam Gallery will offer a series of artist-led workshops inspired by both the National Gallery pieces and the Museum’s own collection, aligned under the theme ‘Art on Your Doorstep’.
“The Museum will also curate a display of works from its collection that complement and connect with those exhibited publicly across the city, strengthening the narrative link between the two.”
