The winner of the £100,000 Art Fund Prize 2010 will be announced on Wednesday 30 June. The Ulster Museum has been shortlisted and finished a close second in the popular vote, just 0.09% behind the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, with over 72,000 people voting. These figures are taken into account by the judging panel, which includes broadcaster Kirsty Young, but this may not influence the final decision.

BY BEN FINCH

Les McLean, Head of Operations at the Ulster Museum, believes the museum has done so well due to the “focus on the visitor and their experience”. Over 370,000 people have visited the museum since the £17.2 million refurbishment was completed in 2009 and their reaction has been an “overwhelmingly positive one”.
The Art Fund Prize focuses on the transformation of museums and the impact this has on visitors. All the museums entered have been recently renovated; the Ashmolean’s upgrade cost £61 million. However the Prize does not focus on the biggest or most expensive change but rather “the visitor’s chance to notice change for the better”.

The renovation of the Ulster Museum has led to criticism from some quarters. Many architects were opposed to the new design and Nelson McCausland MLA, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure recently called for Creationism and Ulster Scots to have further recognition within the Museum.
McLean is confident that these comments will not affect the museum’s chances of winning the Prize and is pleased with the “interesting debate that has engaged the public more with the museum”.
If the Ulster Museum wins the prize then the £100,000 will be spent on “something lasting”, such as a celebratory piece of art or an education programme that will have “a life beyond the closing date of the competition”.