If you haven’t wandered around Dublin City on one of the First Thursday nights, you really are missing out. Last month I checked it out Temple Bar and there was a brilliant buzz.
It’s a night where reative spaces and galleries open their doors to the public after hours.. So instead of going late night shopping on a Thursday you can have a relaxing jaunt through the city centre and see what’s to offer.
The idea came from First Thursdays in London and the whole thing is organized by the good peeps at Temple Bar Cultural Trust.
Here’s a full list of venues and events:
Centre for Creative Practices
15 Pembroke Street, Lower Dublin 2
For The Birds – An Exhibition of painting and sculpture by Mairead Dunne.Mairead Dunnes work captures a childlike dream world paralleled with an adults fairy tale. She uses haunting imagery in an attempt to connect with childhood nostalgia and escapism where dark forests, uncanny landscapes, strange birds and figures all inspire the work. www.cfcp.ie
Cows Lane Designer Studio
West Essex Street, Old City, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
Cow’s Lane Designer Studio is a treasure trove of handmade Irish art and design. This creative space is run by a group of independent artists who make by hand much of what there is to offer. www.cowslanedesignerstudio.ie
Debbie Paul Studio and Gallery
1 Cows Lane, Old City, Dublin 8
Debbie Paul invites you to her combined gallery and studio space. Here you can gain insight into Paul’s work, her aesthetic, and her making process, furthering your understanding of Irish Contemporary Jewellery. www.debbiepaul.com
designist
68 South Great Georges Street, Dublin2, Ireland
designist is a city centre design store, specialising in affordable Irish and international design. Stock is unique and varies from home-ware to furniture design, lighting and unique gift items. www.designist.ie
Fish-Bowl Gallery / Exchange Dublin
Exchange Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
{In} Definateley by Majella Dowdican focuses on the notion of potentiality. Potentiality both in terms of the materials used, and also, in the sense of the anticipation that the artist creates using such materials. The work is simple yet absurd. www.exchangedublin.ie
Gallery of Photography
Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Noel Bowler | Making Space. Making Space is a timely exploration of the expansion and development of Islam in contemporary Ireland. Taken over the course of three years, the exhibition records the adaptive reuse of spaces for the purpose of prayer by diverse Muslim communities across Ireland.www.galleryofphotography.ie
Gallery Zozimus
56 Francis Street, Dublin 8
Gallery Zozimus presents a summer group show including new works and prints by Mark ONeill. www.galleryzozimus.ie
Graphic Studio Gallery
Through the Arch. Off Cope Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Opening of Retrospective and New Works by artist Pamela Leonard. A renowned printmaker and watercolourist, Pamela Leonard showcases a selection of her works spanning 20 years to date. Leonard is especially renowned for her exceptional landscapes. Her works explore light and dark and focuses on capturing these elements in forests and glades. www.graphicstudiodublin.com
Jam Art Factory
64/65 Patrick Street, Dublin 8
Jam Art Factory, gallery and design shop on Patrick Street has a new range of work from Sarah Cunnigham, Karolina Grudniewska( karoArt ceramics), Rachel Platt, Antonia O’Mahony, Anna Doran, Laura Butler and work from Gerard Hegarty, Rob Crane, Mark Haybyrne & Paddy Duffy. www.jamartfactory.com
Monster Truck Gallery & Studios
4 Temple Bar, Dublin 2
So Long Roger Fenton…Negotiation and commitment in contemporary art1 September 8th October 2011. Curated by Claire Feeley. Featuring:Roger Fenton | Bruno Serralongue | Chris Evans | Johannes Maier | David Lamelas | George Levantis | James Merrigan. www.monstertruck.ie
National Gallery of Ireland
Clare Street Entrance, Dublin 2
Experience Masterpieces from the Collection, a special presentation of some of the finest works in the Gallerys European and Irish collections. For September as part of Archives Awareness month displays from the Yeats Archive and Irish study collections will also be on view. www.nationalgallery.ie
NGG – No Grants Gallery
The Culture Box, 12 East Essex Street Temple Bar, Dublin 2
BOXiD, Round III – A fundraising exhibition organised by Black Church Print Studio featuring anonymous, CD-sized works by more than 150 well-known and emerging Irish and International artists including James English, Brian Lalor, Pauline Bewick, Yoko Akino, Liam Belton, Abigail O’ Brien, Donald Teskey, Richard Gorman, Mark Garry, Comhghall Casey and more. www.print.ie / www.templebar.ie
Project Arts Centre
Gallery39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Notes on a Missing Oh – New work by Adrià Julià. Please join us for the opening of this exhibition, a new work which revisits the sites, areas and characters from a 20 year old screenplay known to be one of the biggest financial and cultural flops in the history of cinema. www.projectartscentre.ie / www.facebook.com/PACVisualArts
Science Gallery
Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, The Naughton Institute
15:07:11-23:09:11 – ‘ELEMENTS: THE BEAUTY OF CHEMISTRY’ Science Gallerys summer exhibition explores the beauty of the elements, the design icon that is the periodic table and stirs up some reactions in the atomic kitchen.www.sciencegallery.com
The Doorway Gallery
24 South Frederick St, Dublin 2.
The Doorway Gallery presents a group show of all the gallery artists including Michael Flaherty, Graham Knuttel, Francis Boag, Christy Keeney, Jock Nichol, Geraldine OReilly, Joan Coen, Hugh Frazer, John Brennan and many more. www.thedoorwaygallery.com
The Icon Factory
Aston Place, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
The Icon Factory is an artist co-operative offering original artwork by Irish Artists. Outdoors, visit the Icon Walk gallery which presents information panels and original artwork journeying through Irelands history, culture, writers, musicians and playwrights. www.facebook.com/TheIcon-Factory
The Green Gallery
Top Floor, St Stephens Green Centre,Dublin 2
The Green Gallery makes available a broad range of contemporary art from both Irish and International artists. www.thegreengallery.ie
The LAB
Foley Street, Dublin 1
On 1st September, the LAB hosts a special reception to mark the opening of two solo exhibitions of new work by Dublin based artists Ruth E. Lyons and Mark Garry. For more information visit www.thelab.ie
The Market Studios
Corner Halston Street & Marys Lane, Dublin 7
Studio Artists have curated a season of arts related films. The programme will be drawn from studio artists own work and other arts related productions. “The Market Screens” takes place each Thursday at 7pm and is a free event open to the public. Check www.themarketstudios.ie for more details
For more information on First Thursdays Dublin log on to templebar.ie/Event/First_Thursdays_Dublin