GIVING OUR ARTISTS SPACE TO CREATE

Photo Credit: Ken O’Halloran

Recent years have seen the rapid closure of studios and performance spaces resulting in artists across the city facing increased difficulties when it comes to finding suitable workspaces. Dublin City Council (DCC) and the Department for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media are seeking to remedy this and recently announced details of a €9 million Capital Works programme – ‘Space to Create’.

It will develop 60 artist workspaces in the capital with DCC identifying buildings which can be refurbished to provide artists with new turnkey workspaces or for use as performance, gallery space and flexible office spaces. The initiative was launched by Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy and Minister Catherine Martin.

One such site is Artane Place. In 2022, 14 artists, many of whom live or work locally in Artane, were awarded spaces following two rounds of shortlisting and interviews through an open call process. The artists involved cover a range of art forms from visual arts, performance, literature, design and dance. Choreographer Ella Clarke, who recently began using one these spaces, said: “this new studio is five minutes from my home and will transform my practice as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. As well as giving me time back, the quality and size of the space will be an inspiration and a step change in my career.”

Other sites include the former Filmbase building at 2 Curved Street Temple Bar, which is already home to six arts organisations. DCC is working to open up further unused sites. These include the Council owned 8 and 9 Merchants Quay which will undergo a refurb to provide 21 artists workspaces and the former Eden restaurant in Temple Bar which will accommodate six artists, while a vacant site on Bridgefoot Street will house twenty new temporary units for artists.