Please see this message from the ARLIS/UK & Ireland Chair regarding conference 2016:
Dear All,
I regret to inform everyone that due to extenuating circumstances it will be necessary to postpone the ARLIS Annual Conference from July this year to the following year.
2016 is a special centenary year in Irish history and this is creating heavy demand on venues, accommodation around the city and affecting costs and availability to a greater degree than anticipated. Moreover, 2016 also sees a temporary but major change in the way ARLIS has to manage its income. Together, these circumstances make the investment in a major conference event inadvisable at this time.
I would like to emphasise that the decision to postpone the conference is due entirely to this unique and unfortunate organisational and financial circumstances. It is not part of a move to change the format and timing of our conferences, though I do think we need to look at this issue in the longer term.
This decision has not been made lightly and I am breaking the news as early as possible to allow those affected to start re-planning their summers.
It is great shame not to be able to get together in Dublin this year, but I am certain that we can make a virtue out of necessity and use the extra time to make the 2017 event which will still be in Dublin even better. I would like to encourage as many members as possible to come to the ARLIS/ UK and Ireland AGM to be held at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art on April 13 2016, and also to use the new ARLIS Matters blog to share ideas and news and meet fellow make new contacts and sustain existing ones!
Best wishes
David Pulford