Dublin arts centre The Complex is due to shut its doors for the final time on Wednesday night bar a last-minute stream of State funding coming through.
Government intervention in the form of a multimillion euro capital acquisition of the Smithfield property being leased by The Complex is required to save it. Operators hope a final, emergency meeting between the arts council and Dublin City Council (DCC) on Wednesday afternoon can lead to a breakthrough.
“It really is down to the last day,” Vanessa Fielding, chief executive and artistic director of The Complex, told The Irish Times.
“Our lease expires at midnight tomorrow night. We have one lifeline left, which is to hope that the Arts Council and Dublin City Council can come up with some kind of solution to our issue.”
The Complex is located Mary’s Abbey in Dublin city centre. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Despite receiving encouragement from various Government bodies in recent months, Ms Fielding has been frustrated by the uncertainty around which branch of Government is responsible for engaging with The Complex’s request for funding.
“I can’t work out what has been going on,” Ms Fielding said. “I have been speaking to people all day, every day, for months. I’m none the wiser and I don’t really understand it. I’m a humble theatre director who runs a centre for arts, and I haven’t got a clue why it’s going round and round.
“Who is responsible? I still don’t really know, because everybody is claiming that it’s not them.”
At a meeting of DCC on Monday night night, Green Party Cllr Janet Horner tabled an emergency motion to save The Complex, which was passed. Ms Horner suggested there has been a vocal desire among the Deptartment of Culture, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), and DCC to resolve the situation, but that funding has not yet been realised “because we cannot get these people in the same room to talk about this issue”.
“To lose it from its current location would be an irreparable damage to the cultural fabric, particularly, of the north inner city area,” Ms Horner said.
Should The Complex close as expected on Wednesday, there are no current plans to relocate the arts centre. Ms Fielding said there is a “misconception that art happens in buildings, and as long as you provide the building, that’s going to be it”.
“The impulse should come from the artists,” she said. “We’re all artists, we’re all makers, and we’ve made this space fit what we saw as our needs.
“The fulcrum of our business, which pays staff and runs the place, is the depot. Without that, we can’t really afford to run, however well-funded we are. It’s just not enough. I don’t know [if we’ll find somewhere else] but I’m doubtful and I’m not hopeful at all.”
In a statement Tuesday evening, DPER said it “is responsible for policy and expenditure for culture”.
“The Department of Public Expenditure agrees annual estimates for Government Departments but does not fund projects that are the responsibility of another Government Department eg cultural and arts expenditure.
“Local authorities can also sometimes have a role in such areas and it may be of use for the Complex to engage with Dublin City Council.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture said “proposals for the development of local arts centres are a matter in the first instance for the relevant local authority.
“County and city development plans are drawn up by local authorities in accordance with their functions under the Planning and Development Acts. This would include policy objectives for development in that county, including the arts.”
The spokespoerson said that annual support, including programming and revenue supports, “is provided to arts and culture centres by local authorities and the Arts Council. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport provides grants as a contribution towards maintaining and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities but does not provide funding for the purchase of buildings. Officials from the Department met with the chair of The Complex and other members of the team in December 2024 and advised them of this position. Further communication in June 2025 and in recent months has reiterated that position.”
Dublin City Council was contacted for comment on the situation.