An Exhibition That Asks, ‘How Does it Feel?’ to Open at ISLAND Arts Centre Next Wed 17 Sept from 7pm
September 10, 2025
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Arts Service, in collaboration with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), is proud to announce the opening of a powerful new exhibition, ‘How Does it Feel?’, at ISLAND Arts Centre. This compelling display, drawn from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s contemporary visual art collection, will be celebrated with an open-invitation preview evening at Lisburn’s ISLAND Arts Centre on Wednesday, 17 September, from 7 to 9pm.
How Does it Feel?’ is a major exhibition that brings together a diverse group of artists and artworks, broadly exploring the deeper, more personal dimensions of human connection, experience and emotion. The showcase features work from emerging and established artists living and working in Northern Ireland, including several from the
Lisburn & Castlereagh area. The works on display, which include painting, photography, sculpture, craft, and film, invite viewers to pause, reflect, and engage with their senses and own emotional world while also considering the perspectives of others.
This exhibition has been made possible by the Arts Council’s Art Lending Scheme. This scheme offers a unique opportunity for public venues and organisations to borrow artworks from one of Northern Ireland’s leading contemporary art collections, which includes over 700 artworks dating from 2003 to the present day.
Councillor Tim Mitchell, Chair of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Communities and Wellbeing Committee, highlighted the exhibition’s timely message. “In a world that seems to be moving at an ever-increasing pace, ‘How Does it Feel?’ is an invitation to pause and reflect. This exhibition is more than just a display of art; it reminds us of the shared feelings that connect us all. We are incredibly proud to present a show that we believe will resonate deeply with our community.”
Joanna Johnston, Visual Arts & Collections Officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “This compelling exhibition brings together a diverse array of works from the Arts Council collection. Featured within the show are some of the Arts Council’s most recent acquisitions and works by some of Northern Ireland’s leading contemporary artists, including works by Lisburn and Castlereagh artists Holly Anderson, Cara Murphy, Anushiya Sundaralingam and Wendy Ward. It has been
a pleasure to help create this exhibition in partnership with the team at ISLAND Arts Centre and we look forward now to sharing it with the public.”
The preview evening offers a unique opportunity for guests to experience the exhibition before it opens to the public, with an informal reception and a chance to meet some of the artists. The evening will include a short tour led by Joanna Johnston, Visual Arts & Collections Officer, ACNI, who will share insights into selected works. The exhibition will then be officially opened by Suzanne Lyle, Head of Visual Arts, ACNI.
The exhibition will then run from 18 September to 16 October in Galleries 1 & 2, ISLAND Arts Centre, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, BT27 4RL.
Image Credit: from left to right, clockwise
- A Point in Time, Charys Wilson
- Gold Embroidery Concrete Square Panel, Tactility Factory (Ruth Morrow & Patricia Bedford)
- Lace Droplet Pendants Chandelier, Wendy Ward
- Untitled (Attachment) from The Second Shift Series Clare Gallagher
- Biomes, Lynsay-Erin Mercer
- Starfish, Kabul, Deborah Adair