Dublin City Council is calling on owners of vacant properties in the city to see if they are interested in registering their empty buildings on a register of suitable vacant spaces for individuals and organisations who require space for creative, cultural, and craft uses to rent for one to six months. Dublin City Council is facilitating the making of a Register of Property Owners and Artists, who will be able to contact each other directly to work out the details. Temporary use of vacant space offers a range of benefits to both property owners and space users: It animates “To Let” units currently vacant thereby increasing the unit’s potential to prospective tenants and attracts people to the site, increasing exposure and interest.
Dublin City Council recently held a “Vacant Spaces” seminar to broker links between individuals and organisations from the Creative, Cultural and Craft Sectors, Property Owners and Letting Agents. They discussed how best to fill vacant spaces on our streets and following their agreement that new cultural uses could add new and constantly changing value to the city streets, the City Council now wants to see if there is interest in a Register of Property Owners and Artists.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin Andrew Montague says “It is in everybody’s interest to have vacant spaces in the city utilised. Leaving them empty leaves a negative impression while artistic and cultural activities can enhance individual streets which is something the entire surrounding community can benefit from too.”
“This is a win win situation” says Declan Wallace, Executive Manager, Dublin City Council Development Department “where the owners of vacant properties get activity in and around their property and the artistic/ cultural community get temporary access to space not normally used for creative purposes”.
“The City Council is committed to facilitating Creative, Cultural and Craft Communities, Letting Agents and Developers to help solve the issue of vacant spaces throughout the city”, says Ray Yeates, Dublin City Arts Officer, “We are also making available two retail units at Liberty Corner owned By Dublin City Council for artists to mount exhibitions, installations and for other creative uses”.
Dublin City Council’s role is to be a facilitator to establish the level of demand for a Register and establish interest in this initiative, for the benefit of all. Property owners and artists will be able to contact each other through the Register. Rent, rates, insurance and electricity bills etc are a matter for the owner and artist to agree. Short-term is a week to six months. We are targeting the short-term tenant with this initiative.
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For Media Queries please contact: Dublin City Council Press Office, Tel. 222 2170.
To register your interest please contact:
Property Owners: E-mail: edu@dublincity.ie
Interested Users: E-mail: artsoffice@dublincity.ie
Photo available on request.