The operators of The Complex in Smithfield, Dublin, say they are hopeful State funding can be secured to keep the arts centre open as appeals continued for Government intervention.
Vanessa Fielding, chief executive and artistic director of The Complex said she believed the Government was taking the situation seriously but there are “absolutely no promises” of a resolution around its eviction notice to quit on January 13th.
“At least something is being worked on and we hope that an intervention might be made,” Ms Fielding said. “There appears not to be a mechanism in place for delivering funding for cultural infrastructure, and that’s created a sort of conundrum for everybody about how to do it.”
Hundreds of artists and supporters marched from The Complex to the gates of Leinster House on Wednesday afternoon, delivering a petition with more than 15,000 signatures appealing for urgent action to save the multidisciplinary arts space.
RM Block
Earlier in the day, Ms Fielding met the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ray McAdam, and other officials at the Mansion House. Talks were positive, but time was of the essence, she said. The Complex has agreed heads of terms on a permanent deal for the property it had been leasing, a former fruit factory in Smithfield, but additional funding is required.
Ms Fielding said €7.6 million was needed to buy into the scheme for core and shell of the property. To that end, Dublin City Council (DCC) has said it will consider contributing approximately €1.5 million. The Complex has levered an in-principle loan of €1.5 million and an allocation for fit out from the Department of Culture for €1.5 million-€2 million, which would make up the remainder of the deal’s costs.
She said they now require a commitment of €6 million from the Government in order to agree the purchase. There has been some difficulty establishing which Government departments are responsible for handling that request.
Wednesday’s petition was delivered to a representative for the Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers. However, earlier this month, in a letter to Senator Mary Fitzpatrick on the subject, Mr Chambers suggested a solution should be explored by DCC and the Department of Culture.
A separate letter, dated December 15th, was written by the Minister for Culture, Patrick O’Donovan, to the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Kevin “Boxer” Moran.
“My Department provides grants as a contribution towards maintaining and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities but does not provide funding for the purchase of property,” Mr O’Donovan wrote. “The provision of local arts and culture infrastructure is a matter in the first instance for local authorities.”
Mr O’Donovan went on to enquire if the Office of Public Works, for which Mr Moran has special responsibility, would have available space in their portfolio to house The Complex in the short to medium term should the venue require a “meanwhile space” if they are evicted.
Ms Fielding said The Complex had received “really good political support”, and there was good will across parties to find a solution to their notice to quit.
“I don’t think there’s anybody who thinks that it’s not a very good investment for the State,” she said. “It just seems to be that this formula of buying a property for cultural infrastructure, if it’s not ... a heritage site, is a new proposition.”
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, a musician and People Before Profit representative for Dublin Central, was one of those leading the march to Dáil Éireann on Wednesday. He said different departments are “passing the buck” on funding, and that they need to “get their act together really and provide that funding to save this space”.
“If this goes, there’ll be nothing like it,” Mr Ó Ceannabháin said. “In 10 or 15 years, somebody will say we should have an arts centre in the north inner-city and it’ll cost a lot more money. This is already there – it’s a very vibrant, cultural hub.”
In a statement, the Department of Culture said it “provides grants as a contribution towards maintaining and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities but does not provide funding for the purchase of buildings”. It said “no funding was sought from this Department for the purchase of the building by The Complex and any refurbishment support would require chargeable title to be in place.
“Separately, the Department are working closely with the Dublin City Council to provide 60 artist workspaces through the Space to Create programme.”
The Department of Public Expenditure has been asked for comment.
