City’s new cultural project brings neighbours together

RESIDENTS and community groups across the Southside are getting involved in a new  cultural project that has been designed to connect neighbourhoods throughout the city.

Residents in the South Central Area will be working with the National Concert Hall and the Chester Beatty Library on a series of projects centred on the theme of storytelling, in ‘(y)our Story’.

Meanwhile, community groups in the South East Area will link in with CoisCéim Dance Theatre, The Hugh Lane Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland on themes of exploration, connection and disconnection alongside neighbouring suburban villages and each other via the Number 1 bus route in the ‘Light Waves’ project

It’s all part of Dublin City Council’s new cultural programme, Dublin’s Culture Connects, which was officially launched by Lord Mayor Brendan Carr and Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys at a special event in the Mansion House.

Following the adoption of a cultural strategy in 2016, Dublin’s Culture Connects sees Dublin City Council place culture at the heart of its corporate strategy for the first time. 

A series of legacy projects developed from the Dublin 2020 Capital of Culture Bid, this innovative programme creates new connections and partnerships across Dublin between neighbourhoods, national cultural institutions, city libraries, artists, and the city. 

This cultural programme is made up of four pillars, the first of which, Dublin’s Culture Connects: The National Neighbourhood, will be followed by three others -  a new EU Funding Unit; support and training for cultural and community groups in the area of fundraising, the Fundraising Fellowship partnership with Business to Arts; and a new cultural audit and mapping project as part of the recently adopted Dublin City Development Plan. 

Spanning the Dublin City Council region, the project, for the first time, brings together the arts, cultural and community resources in partnership with all eight national cultural institutions located in Dublin – The Abbey Theatre, The National Museum of Ireland, The National Library of Ireland, The National Gallery of Ireland, The National Concert Hall, The Chester Beatty Library, The National Archives and The Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Lord Mayor Brendan Carr said he was delighted to see that all the work that went into the Capital of Culture bid is being rewarded.

“Thousands of Dubliners engaged with Dublin City Council over a number of months to suggest projects and programmes,” he said. “The National Neighbourhood is just one of the great ideas to come out of the process. Culture is an important part in building neighbourhood spirit and it is an ambition of Dublin City Council to continue to give the opportunity for people to learn and participate in the arts in their neighbourhood in all parts of the city.” 

Minister Humphreys added: “A spirit of working together, of partnership, and creative collaboration has been the striking feature of everything we’ve seen throughout this special year of commemoration.

“We’ve seen how positively communities respond if you empower them to express themselves. I am delighted to see this approach to collaboration embodied in the Dublin’s Culture Connects initiative. It is helping to build an ever-expanding partnership between citizens and the cultural community, developing new audiences, encouraging participation and supporting our great artists and cultural organisations.”

Further details on Dublin City Council’s Culture Connects will be posted on the blog at www.dublinscultureconnects.ie.