The Naughton Gallery at Queen's

Situated at the heart of Queen’s University on the first floor of the Lanyon Building, the Naughton Gallery is one of Belfast’s most exciting visual arts spaces, promoting diversity, inclusivity, and artistic excellence.  The Gallery presents a rolling programme of original contemporary exhibitions, and has exhibited work by both local and internationally-renowned artists including Adham Faramawy, Marie Jacotey, Aidan Koch, Sarah Maple, Locky Morris, and Tom of Finland. The Naughton Gallery also runs an extensive programme of talks, screenings, and special events.

 Named after its generous benefactors, Martin and Carmel Naughton, the Gallery was established in 2001 as a means of showcasing the University’s permanent Collection which comprises gifts, bequests, and purchases since the foundation of Queen's College in 1845. The Gallery programme later developed to feature exhibitions of works on loan, both contemporary and historical, although the permanent Collection remains on display throughout various University sites.  A range of media is represented in the Collection – paintings, prints, works on paper, sculpture, furniture, metalwork, and silver – and perhaps most notable is the impressive hang of over fifty portraits in the Lanyon Building’s Great Hall.

With free admission and open six days per week, the Naughton Gallery welcomes visitors from around the world. It has been recognised as one of the leading university galleries in the UK and Ireland, winning the Times Higher Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts in 2008 and the CUBO Award for Innovation in Student Experience alongside the Queen’s Film Theatre in 2022.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
To be an aesthetic, academic, and creative force which enhances the Queen's experience for staff, students, and the wider community.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION  

The Naughton Gallery endeavours to make its exhibitions, commissions, events, and acquisitions as diverse and inclusive as possible in terms of the artists with whom we work and the art we exhibit. This commitment extends across lines of gender, race, religion, politics, age, sexuality, disability, and beyond. 

We challenge ourselves to amplify fresh voices and champion vital perspectives, promoting the work of a wide range of artists, both local and international, in an effort to best reflect the diversity of the world in which we live. 

Between the relaunch of our core programme in June 2016 and December 2023, the Gallery has exhibited work by over 190 visual artists. 

 - 54% of the exhibited artists have been male. 

- 41% of the exhibited artists have been female. 

- 5% of the exhibited artists have been non-binary. 

- 50% of the Gallery’s solo exhibitions have been presented by male artists. 

- 42% of the Gallery’s solo exhibitions have been presented by female artists. 

- 8% of the Gallery's solo exhibitions have been presented by non-binary artists.

- 22% of the exhibited artists have been from the LGBTQ+ community. 

- 39% of the exhibited artists have been People of Colour. 

- 71% of the exhibited artists have been based internationally. 

- 82% of the exhibited artists have never shown work in Northern Ireland. 

- Commissions and acquisitions for the University’s permanent Collection have been by 57% male artists and 43% female artists.