Golden Thread Gallery have secured £83,270 of funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to take forward a feasibility study which could unlock the potential to restore and redevelop Wilmont House in Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, in partnership with Belfast City Council.

Wilmont House was designed by Thomas Jackson and dates from 1859. It was acquired by the Dixon family in 1920 and was gifted, along with 140 acres of surrounding parkland, to Belfast City Council by Lady Dixon in 1956.

The council, who own the Grade B+ listed building, is also making an assessment of the condition of the building to inform the study.

The feasibility study will look at the viability of using Wilmont House as a community and arts space which celebrates the built, cultural and environmental heritage of the building and maximises its beautiful open space setting. The study will include consultation with park users and community groups over the summer.

The findings from both pieces of work, once completed, will be taken back to Belfast city councillors to consider and decide how best to fund any potential works needed in the long term, including exploring all possible funding options.

Peter Richards and Sarah McAvera, Co-Directors of the Golden Thread Gallery, said: “We are thrilled to be working along with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Belfast City Council on the feasibility of restoring Wilmont House as a cultural venue.

“The gallery has been developing a collection of Northern Irish Art and Northern Ireland’s first Visual Arts Research Library and Archive since 2019. This project will assess whether Wilmont House is an appropriate home for these and other collections to be seen and enjoyed by the residents of and visitors to Belfast.

“Wilmont House offers the perfect opportunity to blend art, culture and the environment and create a unique experience for visitors that could include sculpture trails, art activities, exhibitions and reading rooms.”

The former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, also welcomed the news:

“This is just the first step in a lengthy process and, while it isn’t a guarantee that Wilmont House can be returned to its former glory any time soon, it’s still a moment worth marking,” he said.

“Previous expressions of interest processes have not secured an economically viable use for this beautiful building, but we recognise its significance to the city, and the park, and we want to find a way of bringing it back into use that really works. Golden Thread Gallery approached the council last year with a vision for Wilmont House which reflects the amazing work they have done at Queen Street in Belfast city centre, transforming the former Craftworld premises into a vibrant gallery space with a strong community engagement ethos. We value The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support to Golden Thread Gallery to undertake this feasibility study. This is an opportunity worth exploring and, while the concept of a community and arts space may grow and change as both these pieces of work progress, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Wilmont House.”

Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund , said: “Finding a sustainable future for Wilmont House is of great public interest and we are committed to strengthening heritage to be adaptive and financially resilient so that it contributes to communities and economies.

“We are pleased to be able to support Golden Thread Gallery with funding to provide capacity and expertise to develop their long-term organisational and financial plans and consider the role that Wilmont House could play in realising them.”

Golden Thread Gallery is supported by: