Despite the arts space’s best efforts, The Complex announces its closure today, in the latest space loss for Dublin arts and culture.
Despite an emergency DCC motion putting the pressure on Department of Finance/ Department of Public Expenditure government ministers to make funds available for the venue to buy the space from its owner who wants to develop the property, the government ministers spotlit by the motion – Simon Harris (Finance), Jack Chambers (Public Expenditure) and Patrick O’Donovan (Culture) have failed to act to save the space.
It was perhaps inevitable that the government would not make an exception for The Complex to keep it open despite actually engaging with the venue as the statement below says.
Despite prolonged engagement and repeated assurances, no workable solution was delivered. The loss of The Complex represents a failure of cultural policy, accountability, and long-term planning within the public system.
Making a bold singular decision is not what they do – I’ve no doubt the internal conversations around it in government (if there were any) cautioned against setting a precedent in supporting The Complex.
It’s not right, yet it keeps happening.
The government ministers regularly extol the virtues and power of the Irish arts and culture scene in their speeches here and abroad and show not a modicum of interest in supporting it in the immediacy when faced with a specific problem like this. We are culturally rich yet politically inept. A sliver of a fraction of the Apple tax money would have been enough as an example.
The Groundswell was not enough
Still, the loss of The Complex, the city centre arts venue, space and studios that has operated in different guises over the last 18 years is another depressing notch in the post charting this country’s lack of interest in supporting arts and culture infrastructure.
The Complex, with CEO / artistic director Vanessa Fielding spearheading, must be commended for all the activity and noise they created around the imminent closure.
In December, the venue hosted three nights of live music and performance under the name Groundswell to raise awareness of the venue’s closure, along with a public march to the Dail, an online petition and a public meeting.
The venue issued a statement about the closure which you can read here:
The Complex will close following the failure of Government and Dublin City Council to secure a viable resolution for an arts organization that has operated continuously in the north west inner city for 18 years.
During that time, The Complex developed into a nationally and internationally recognised centre for contemporary Irish arts, supporting hundreds of artists, freelancers, technicians, designers, producers, and staff, and providing sustained cultural infrastructure in an area of the city with limited access to the arts.
Despite prolonged engagement and repeated assurances, no workable solution was delivered. The loss of The Complex represents a failure of cultural policy, accountability, and long-term planning within the public system.
Our efforts have also been frustrated by an inflexible landlord, focused exclusively on achieving vacant possession, to maximize the redevelopment value of the site.
This outcome stands in direct contradiction to stated commitments to support Irish arts, cultural employment, and equitable access to cultural life in Dublin.
Best wishes,
Vanessa Fielding
Artistic Director/CEO
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
