THE North's Arts Council has lodged a £40 million sterling proposal with the British Millennium Commission to create a major international gallery of art and culture named after the painter, Sir John Lavery.
The gallery would be housed in the Ewart Building in Bedford Street in Belfast city centre. It will include an archive of traditional music, literature, craft, design, architecture and murals. There would also be space for major public art collections.
More than 130 people have endorsed the project, including musicians Van Morrison and James Galway; the novelist, Brian Moore; former Ulster Unionist leader, Mr James Molyneaux; and the SDLP MP for South Down, Mr Eddie McGrady.
The Arts Council is asking the Commission to fund half the cost of the project. A spokesman said: that the council was very excited, about the plan.