PS² is an artist-led visual arts organisation. Initially established as Paragon Studios in 1994, the Project Space was added as an integral part of the organisation's operations in 2004, and that's where the tiny squared symbol (²) comes from.
PS² fulfils two functions:
1
As a studio-resource and network provider, offering affordable, adequate and longer term working space for currently 10 professional artists and three one-year-long residency programmes for: curator/s; critical writing and a collective.
2
As an organiser and initiator of an engaged and year-round arts programme in our project space or at outside locations and neighbourhoods. Our project space is seen as an extension of the studios and offers an open, temporary workspace and showroom for invited or selected project artists, enabling encounters for the general public to see, enjoy and participate in art.
This tandem approach underlines our core aim: to support artists in their development and to connect art with society in an inclusive way and to a high artistic standard.
We try to achieve this through:
- support and advice for artists
- provision of an open platform and network for debate and exchange on a local and translocal level
- projects and cultural events with a focus on the urban and social environment, free and open accessible for the general public
- community based, participatory projects
- workshops
- long-term projects in neighbourhoods: PeasPark, North Belfast, and Ballykinler, Co.Down
How our projects happen
Projects are initiated and organised by the small team of PS² together with the artists, who always have the final say. From the beginning Ruth Morrow has acted an adviser and support. In recent years external curators have been invited to curate and organise projects and to refresh and deepen our programme.
Currently PS² is on a transition process from volunteer to a paid position led organisation, securing continuation and a more sustainable future. To counteract any institutionalisation, a rewilding process is happening in parallel.
We are always curious and open for proposals from artists and cultural producers as well as curators. Please send project ideas with a short outline and few images or links to info@pssquared.org.
- Co-Director / Strategic Vision and Development Curator
- Jane Morrow
- Co-Director / Project Curator
- Davy Mahon
- PS² Freelands Artist Programme Curator 2021-2023
- Ciara Hickey
- Critical Writing- in residence
- Clare Gormley, Anna Liesching
- Collective in residence
- Soft Fiction Projects- collective in residence
- Curator in residence 2023-2025
- Clodagh Boyce
- Curators in residence 2021 -2023
- Cecilia Graham, Grace Jackson
- Project communicators/ invigilators
- Catherine Devlin, Linda Byrne
How Are We Funded and Organised
PS² is primarily supported by:
- The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
- Belfast City Council through the Artists' Studios & Workspace Organisational Grant, Arts & Heritage Small Grants, and Belfast 2024
- Future Screens NI Art Work - DfC Covid Recovery Employment and Skills Initiative
Programmes are funded by:
- Necessity (PeasPark)
- Freelands Foundation and Arts Council England (Syllabus)
- The British Council's International Collaboration Grants (Written by us, Not about us: Reclaiming Art Histories & Developing Critical Discourse in Northern Ireland and Nigeria)
- Esme Mitchell Trust (Freelands Artist Programme legacy)
We are grateful to the following funders for their historic support of projects and programmes at PS²: a-n, Freelands Foundation, The Elephant Trust, Ulster University, The MAC, and the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the PEACE III Programme.
Paragon Studios Ltd is a company limited by guarantee, company number NI029491 and is recognised as a charity by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC102460.
Board Members
- Ray Cashell
- Chairperson
- Anne Mager
- Secretary
- Stephen Hackett
- Sinead Marmion
- Rachel Botha
- Mitch Conlon
- Katie Lindsay