It’s one of Cork’s finest landmarks.

And if plans for a major transformation of the Crawford Art Gallery get the go-ahead, the historic building will be future-proofed and enjoyed for generations to come.

Announced this week by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, a planning application has been submitted for a major redevelopment at the Gallery.

It’s a flagship project in the Minister’s programme of investments under the National Development Plan, which will see many much-loved National Cultural Institutions restored and renewed.

Here are five key parts of the plan:

• The project will create a new entrance at the historic Custom House building onto Emmet Place, “opening the Crawford onto a new urban plaza at the heart of the cultural life of the city”.
• Inside the gallery, the design will provide significant new exhibition and public spaces as well as fit-for-purpose storage spaces for the invaluable National Collection.
• A new Learn and Explore facility will be created to engage new audiences.
• A new public gallery will offer panoramic views of the city, with 165 sqm of new courtyard space set to be created outside.
• The project will also address long-standing challenges with the fabric of the historic building, significantly enhancing sustainability.

The project has been designed by an interdisciplinary design team, led by award-winning Grafton Architects, with funding provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

“Today is an extremely important day not just for the Crawford Art Gallery, but for our wider cultural ecology.” Minister Martin said.

“Today we are submitting a planning application for an ambitious project which will transform the Gallery, will create new public spaces for cultural expression and civic discourse, and critically, will see this heritage building restored and renewed to the highest standards of sustainability.”