On Thursday 31st July, the Office of Public Works (OPW) will officially open 'Unfold' – the annual joint touring exhibition of artworks from the collections of the OPW in the Republic of Ireland and the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) of Northern Ireland. The 2014 exhibition is a selection of 30 artworks from the public collections, north and south, chosen by nine young curators from the Institute of Technology in Tallaght and facilitated by the Tallaght based arts centre RUA RED. The student curators, all attending the BA in Creative Digital Media, course chose the artworks according to their own tastes and they themselves provide the links between them. The exhibition evolved and unfolded from their discussions and debates about the selections from each public collection.

The OPW has been working in co-operation with the DFP in relation to art exhibitions since 1997 and the joint exhibitions have toured extensively throughout Ireland – to arts centres, libraries, civic offices, colleges and heritage properties – and to several venues abroad. The artworks included in these exhibitions have mainly been purchased for public buildings located throughout the island. This is the first time since 1997, that the OPW has invited curatorial input from the public.

The 'Unfold' exhibition runs in RUA RED from August 1st to 30th. It then tours to the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre, Newry from September; Stormont Parliament Buildings, Belfast from mid-October; and finishes in The Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon, Co. Clare from December to mid January 2015.

An exhibition catalogue is available from the OPW Art Management Office email: artmanagement@opw.ie or telephone 01 647 6078/6812.

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For further information please contact the OPW Press Office at 046 942 6128 or opwpressoffice@opw.ie

Note to Editors:

Photos attached:

• 'Clearing' by Rita Duffy (DFP Collection)

• 'Following the Blue Fox' by Jane Locke (OPW Collection)

Hi-resolution images available on request