11.2.2 Achievements

Institutions such as Dublin Writers’ Museum, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, The Irish Writers’ Centre and the proposed new City Library project culturally underpin the Parnell Square cultural quarter and the rejuvenation of O’Connell Street.

The 3 Arena, the Convention Centre Dublin, George’s Dock and the Grand Canal Theatre are creating a critical mass of cultural activity in the Dublin Docklands. Other cultural quarters are emerging such as at Heuston gateway with Kilmainham/ Inchicore and the cultural cluster in the environs of Merrion Square, while Temple Bar continues to provide the city with a distinctive cultural edge and excitement.

The number of cultural festivals and events hosted in the city continues to increase on a yearly basis. Some of the more notable events include Culture Night, Chinese New Year, The Street Performance World Championships, Opera in the Open and St Patrick’s Festival.

The need to support workspaces for emerging artists has been met in many cases with high quality facilities provided in the city such as the LAB on Foley Street providing exhibition space for emerging artists, rehearsal space for three theatre companies and incubator spaces. Alongside the LAB, the national dance centre, DanceHouse, has been provided on a public–private partnership basis and has been open since 2006. The Red Stables in St Anne’s Park provides subsidised studio spaces for artists.