Model Arts and Niland Gallery

The Model is one of Ireland's leading contemporary arts centres, occupying a handsome Victorian schoolhouse on The Mall in the centre of Sligo town. Originally built in the 1860s as a Model School, the building was sensitively redeveloped and extended to create a multi-disciplinary venue with galleries, performance spaces, artists' studios and a cafe.

At the heart of the venue sits the Niland Collection, an exceptional gathering of modern Irish art assembled by librarian and curator Nora Niland during the mid-twentieth century. The collection is particularly strong on Jack B. Yeats, whose vivid expressionist canvases capture the landscapes and characters of the west of Ireland, alongside works by Paul Henry, Louis le Brocquy, Estella Solomons and Sean Keating. Rotating displays draw on the collection in dialogue with temporary exhibitions of contemporary practice.

Beyond the visual arts, The Model hosts a busy programme of live music, film screenings, talks and family workshops, and is a key venue during the annual Sligo Yeats Day events. Its position close to Sligo's railway and bus stations makes it an easy stop on any visit to the town, which is itself a gateway to Yeats Country, Benbulben and the Atlantic coast.