Plans for street art gallery submitted in Liverpool
PLANNERS in Liverpool are being asked to approve plans for a development that will house the UK’s first art gallery specialising in the display and promotion of street art.
And pride of place will go to landmark works by the enigmatic master of street art, Banksy.
The Berry House Building is the second phase of the larger Gallery+ development on Norfolk Street in the heart of the city’s Baltic Triangle.
The development by Liverpool-based North Point Global will also feature 125 apartments and commercial and workshop space for start-up creative businesses.
Amongst the Banksy works to be included within the gallery will be the celebrated Liverpool Rat which formerly adorned the exterior of the White Horse pub on Berry Street.
The building’s name is a nod to the former home of what is one of Banksy’s most famous art-works.
Other Liverpool works include Liverpool Bi-Plane from a site in Rumford Street, Never Liked The Beatles, painted on the wall of the former Community College catering school, and Secured which was rescued from a builders skip following the demolition of a building in the run-up to Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Year.
The Gallery is the brainchild of North Point chairman and art collector Peter McInnes, who said: “We’re delighted to be gathering together and restoring all of Banksy’s Liverpool works.
“Banksy gave them to Liverpool and we’re bringing them back and putting them somewhere where they can be enjoyed by the people of the city.
“The Baltic seems to be the ideal place to exhibit this collection, but also establish a street art gallery which will be as much about supporting young artists and creating a space for them to develop their talent and reputation.”
The collection has been assembled in partnership with Sincura Arts Club and Bankrobber London who are leading dealers and exhibitors of Banksy’s work, and Peter McInnes is very hopeful that he will be able to secure another major Banksy Liverpool piece in the near future.
Work on phase one of the Gallery+ development is already underway and, subject to planning, North Point aim to start work on phase two early next year with completion in late 2017.
“The vision for the overall development is very much rooted in the spirit of the Baltic and we see this as part of a long term investment and collaboration in the area,” said McInnes.
“We’re working closely with Baltic Creative, who are the prospective operators of the commercial space within this development, and we’re sponsoring the forthcoming Binary Festival, but this will create a major new cultural destination with a completely unique character and purpose.”
The Berry House development is being designed by Liverpool practice, BLOK Architects, who are also designing North Point’s New Chinatown development.
BLOK managing director Antonio Garcia said: “This is a really exciting project and is very much linked to the New Chinatown project. It’s part of a big opportunity to reconnect these parts of the city and begin to merge their energy and creativity to add real value to the city’s offer.”
