Artist Sought To Design Mary Ann McCracken And Winifred Carney Statues

Belfast City Council is seeking an artist to design statues of Mary Ann McCracken and Winifred Carney.

McCracken was an abolitionist, social reformer and activist who fought for the rights of women and championed Belfast’s poor, while Carney was a suffragist, trade unionist and Irish independence activist.

The appointed artist will be required to design and produce permanent, life-size or larger figurative sculptures which will be installed in the grounds of Belfast City Hall.

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Christina Black said: "Mary Ann McCracken and Winifred Carney are key figures in Belfast’s history, so it is fitting that they will be permanently remembered through statues alongside other notable figures from the city’s past in the front lawn areas of City Hall.

"The decision to commission these statues is part of a process which began in 2012 to help reflect the history, heritage and diversity of the city and its people."

The procurement of the artist is a two-stage process, with initial expressions of interest due by 11 November 2022.

The final designs and locations of both statues will require planning permission before they are installed. It is anticipated that they will be in place by 2024.

Artists interested in finding out more should visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/cityhallstatues.