Project Arts Centre

Project Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary arts centre located in Temple Bar, the cultural quarter of Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1967, it was the first arts centre of its kind in Ireland and has remained a pivotal institution for visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and performance. Its sustained presence in Temple Bar helped catalyze the regeneration of the area as a cultural district, and it continues to serve as a key venue for major Dublin arts festivals and as a platform for contemporary Irish and international work.

Project Arts Centre was founded by Jim FitzGerald and Colm O'Briain in 1967, following a successful three-week festival at the Gate Theatre in 1966. The Centre operated from several locations before securing a converted factory on East Essex Street in 1975, though this was achieved only after prolonged funding difficulties. The building became a significant site in Irish cultural history; on 25 May 1978, journalist Bill Graham suggested that Paul McGuinness attend a U2 concert there, leading McGuinness to become the band's manager. On 18 September 1978, U2 shared a bill with the Virgin Prunes at the venue, which was then directed by Jim Sheridan, later the acclaimed film director. The East Essex Street building was demolished in 1998, and a new purpose-built facility opened on the same site in 2000 as part of the second phase of Temple Bar's regeneration. The Centre has frequently been controversial and has experienced internal difficulties, yet it has maintained an important role in Irish performing arts. Rough Magic Theatre has been a long-associated company. In 2018, the Centre became embroiled in public controversy when street artist Maser painted a mural supporting the Repeal the 8th pro-choice campaign; the Irish Government pressured the Centre to paint over it. In 2024, Romantic Ireland, an exhibition by Eimear Walshe curated by Sara Greavu and Project Arts Centre, was selected for the Irish Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. Since the Irish recession, the Centre has placed increased emphasis on cross-cultural productions.

Project Arts Centre does not maintain a traditional permanent collection in the manner of a museum or gallery. Instead, its holdings and programming encompass a multidisciplinary scope spanning visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and performance. The Centre functions primarily as a producing and presenting organization, with its artistic identity defined by its curated exhibitions, commissioned works, and festival partnerships rather than by accumulated objects. Its visual arts programming is integrated within this broader performing arts context, with the gallery operating alongside two auditoriums as part of a unified creative facility.

As a venue rather than a collecting institution, Project Arts Centre's notable holdings are its commissioned and presented works rather than permanent acquisitions. The 2024 selection of Romantic Ireland by Eimear Walshe for the Irish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale represents a significant achievement, with the exhibition curated by Sara Greavu in collaboration with Project Arts Centre. The Centre's historical significance also lies in its association with formative moments in Irish cultural history, including the early U2 performances that launched one of Ireland's most internationally successful musical acts. Its long-standing relationship with Rough Magic Theatre has contributed to the development of Irish theatre. The Maser mural, though painted over, stands as a notable instance of the Centre's engagement with politically charged contemporary art.

The current Project Arts Centre building is a purpose-built facility on East Essex Street in Temple Bar, opened in 2000 on the site of the Centre's former premises. The new building was constructed following the demolition of the 1975 converted factory and contains two auditoriums, a gallery, and a bar. This development formed part of the second phase of the regeneration of Temple Bar as a cultural quarter. The Centre's presence in the area, alongside institutions including the Irish Film Institute, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Black Church Print Studios, the Gallery of Photography, and the Temple Bar Music Centre (now the Button Factory), was instrumental in establishing Temple Bar as a dedicated cultural district within central Dublin.

Project Arts Centre is located on East Essex Street in Temple Bar, central Dublin, Ireland. The venue is owned and operated as an independent arts organization, functioning as a public centre for the presentation of visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and performance. It serves as a host venue for several major city festivals, including the Dublin Dance Festival, Dublin Writers Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, and Dublin Theatre Festival. The Centre maintains an active public programme and can be accessed through its website for current scheduling and ticketing information.