Last ditch effort to save The Complex as arts space faces eviction tomorrow
Emergency meetings are taking place throughout the day for a last ditch effort to save Dublin ’s art space The Complex at “the eleventh hour.”While The Complex has been a vital part of Dublin’s art scene as a home for exhibitions, gigs, workshops and more, it’s due to close its doors tomorrow (January 14) following a “notice to quit” from the owners who are selling the building. Despite a petition, march, and widespread support from politicians, a solution has yet to be found to help retain this cultural space.Green Party Councillor Janet Horner tabled an emergency motion at yesterday’s monthly council meeting calling for “the immediate and urgent interventions to find a resolution to its imminent closure.” She expressed frustration that it was not possible to get the right people in the same room to ensure they didn’t reach the stage where artists are now “packing their bags” and preparing to be evicted from The Complex tomorrow.“We call on the Chief Executive to make urgent appeals to Ministers Chambers and O’Donovan to make funding available to ensure the building can be purchased, brought into public ownership and retained as a hub for arts. Dublin City cannot afford to lose another world class arts space,” Cllr Horner’s emergency motion stated.“They are on course for leaving tomorrow so we are in a really desperate situation and there are emergency meetings happening throughout the day,” Cllr Horner told Dublin Live. “I’m in touch with Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare to make sure he does everything he can over the next couple of days to see if anything can be done. But, as it stands, they are being evicted so that building can be sold.”Cllr Horner said it’s frustrating to see a venue that is so "uniquely equipped for delivering arts for the city” to be lost. “It is possible that there are other other possible venues but really that one is unique, it is unique and it is special,” she said.The Complex is a 500 capacity venue that boasts a contemporary arts gallery, a 100 seat jazz club to house the Improvised Music Company and 16 artist studios. As a client of the Arts Council and Dublin City Council it is renowned for its focus on a diverse and inclusive programme of work that is not replicated anywhere else in the city.Cllr Horner said to see those involved in making The Complex such a success having to “start from scratch” would be a real loss to the city as it would take a long time to “achieve something of the same scale” in a new building. Cllr Horner said the cost of buying the venue would pale in comparison to how much would need to be spent to recreate it somewhere else.“If they get evicted and we’re looking to recreate that from scratch it would be €50 million or more to try and rebuild something of that scale and value,” she said. “The city is due to lose something very valuable because people won’t just sit in a room together and figure out a solution.”“The number of times I’ve asked people, have you actually talked to the other department, have you actually sat down with them, and they just say ‘no, we haven’t talked to them but we’ve heard they say this.’ Like, sit in the same room lads, have a conversation, and figure something out. If you’re only willing to store up your own position instead of trying to broker an agreement with someone else, then we’re all losing.”At yesterday’s meeting, Social Democrats Cllr Cat O’Driscoll said it’s a “sad, sorry state of affairs” that such an important arts space in the city is being allowed to slip away like this. “I am at my wits end that the government isn’t stepping in very strongly,” she said.Labour Party Cllr Fiona Connolly pleaded that they find a way to delay the eviction and offer them more time to come to a solution. She argued there must be some way to get at least “a tiny extension.”Lord Mayor Cllr Ray McAdam said he wrote to the owners twice expressing their desire to save The Complex. “I asked the owners twice. I wrote to them. They said ‘no,’” he revealed."I wrote to them in the middle of December and owners refused to grant an extension. The owners refused again this week. It appears they want clear possession of the site."This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting SchemeJoin our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
