Project Arts Centre looks to give art back to the masses

The arts mean different things to different people, and Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar looks to mesh different interests together with its open day on August 27th.

Project’s Open Day is a free event for local artists, audiences and communities to engage with a wide programme of contemporary work, as well as gain access to the inner workings of the building and staff.

Cathy Coughlan serves as the Head of Project Potential and is organising the open day.

Speaking to Northside People, Coughlan, who was an artist for 20 years, said that the aim of the open day is to get people to engage with the arts who wouldn’t normally consider it. 

“With Covid, I feel we have lost a generation of people engaging with the arts and have not come back.”

“With that in mind, the aim of our open day is to create an environment that is less intimidating and use the building in a way that people normally wouldn’t associate it with.”

Coughlan said that the pandemic led to her “wanting to give something back” to the world of the arts, and having worked at the Arts Centre as a student, her long-standing relationship to the Arts Centre makes this open day a true passion project. 

She hammered on the themes of “diversity and inclusion” with the open day, and looks to build on last year’s open day which saw 800 attendees. 

“Access is a priority at Project and we want to make sure that our welcome is extended to everyone. Throughout the day we will have an access liaison, as well as dedicated rest areas and reserved seating for performances,” she noted.

“With this open day, we want to eliminate the elitism that people typically associate with the arts, and encourage them to engage with the arts in a different way” she added.

The day will start off quiet, beginning with what Coughlan calls a ‘Quiet Opening’, placing a specific focus on disability and gender diversity.

From 12-2pm, the building will hold space for artists, audiences and communities who would benefit from a sensory-adapted environment.

From 2pm, Favour Odusola and dancers will kick off the afternoon, leading an Afro Dance promenade through the building to the Space Upstairs, where Favour will facilitate an open-level workshop.

Jesse Thompson will keep audiences on their feet through dance, hosting an improvisation workshop leading to an improvised performance. 

The team at Junk Ensemble will present dance on film and more from Project Artists in Residence. 

Irish-based creative community Grúpa will activate Project’s Cube space with photography, videography and performance. 

Artist Kian Benson Bailes will host an open, intergenerational clay workshop and casual artist talk in the gallery. 

Club Comfort will keep the ground floor dancing with a live DJ set and the launch of a new publication, exploring the history of clubbing in Dublin. 

There will be free tasty bites and refreshments and the Project team will welcome visitors throughout the day, offering building tours and opportunities to chat and find out more about life in the big blue building in Temple Bar.