Draíocht - Celebrating 21 Years in 2022

03 May 2022

We mark a special birthday in 2022, the 21st Birthday of Draíocht!

21 years of inspiring and captivating audiences
21 years of engaging communities
21 years of supporting artists
And there's so much more to come …

THANK YOU
To our funders, supporters, artists and audience members

Space for the arts - Space for magic - Space for you

"Draíocht celebrates our 21st Birthday in 2022. Since we first opened to the public in February 2001, and were officially launched by President Mary McAleese on 3 May 2001, we have seen many changes at a global level. Throughout everything, Draíocht has stayed true and focused on our mission … Providing opportunities for people of all ages to make space for art in their lives and to connect the artists we support and the public we serve, and within that, magic happens.

We have had over a million visits to our Theatres, Galleries and Café. We have had many more through our Children/Youth Arts and Participatory programmes. We have worked with artists from all around the world and from down the road. And at the heart of it all, there is you, the people who live and work and bring up their families in Dublin 15, you have remained our guiding light.

I would like to take a moment to remember a committed group of people who got together many years ago and worked tirelessly with Fingal County Council to realise their dream of having an arts space in Dublin 15. I would like to thank all of those who have sat on our Board and contributed to our development with their counsel and expertise. A huge thank you must go to all the staff, full and part time, past and present, that work so tirelessly to deliver our programmes.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the continued support of our funders, Fingal County Council and The Arts Council.

But most of all, I’d like to thank all of you. You have shaped us, informed our work and it has been an incredible 21 years. We are proud to be part of the community of Dublin 15 and Fingal and we can only look forward with optimism and excitement to the next 21."

Emer McGowan
Director

"The Draíocht story is a truly inspirational one. It is the story of a small local committee who together conceived the idea of creating a major venue for the arts here in Blanchardstown ... The people of Blanchardstown and surrounding areas, and the wider artistic and business communities embraced and recognised in this idea something so worthwhile that they were prepared to commit to it ... This centre is one of the most ambitious and significant of its kind to be built in this country. It will accommodate both professional and amateur work in every imaginable artistic field, from drama and dance to poetry and puppetry. It will offer a comprehensive programme of courses, lectures, workshops and participative activities for people of all ages and interests ... Today is a day for all involved in this project to take pride in their achievement, for the people of Blanchardstown, Fingal and beyond to celebrate the arrival of Draíocht. Now all that remains is for the magic and the enchantment to begin and for this place to cast its spell over the coming years." - Remarks by President McAleese, at the official opening of Draíocht, 3 May 2001

Events & Projects to Celebrate 21 Years

JAN-DEC - Artist Supports
Draíocht will invest significantly in 2022 in the development of artist's practice by the provision of benefit in kind support, such as space, technical support, admin/marketing support and specialist expertise.
Read More on Artist Supports

JAN-DEC - Artist in Residence Ellen Duffy
A year Residency has been awarded to local Tyrrelstown artist, Ellen Duffy, who will have free access to the Artist Studio, technical and admin support. Ellen Duffy works across sculptural assemblage, installation and more recently through mixed media works on paper.
Read More about Ellen Duffy

MAR/APR - you breathe differently down here
The inaugural Draíocht Open Exhibition presenting new work from 35 graduate visual artists from the last three years 2019-2021, with a prize fund of €5000 awarded to 5 Artists.
Curated by Amanda Coogan
Read More about you breathe differently down here

MAY - 'The Visit' National Tour
'The Visit' is written by Deirdre Kinahan and Produced by Draíocht. ‘The Visit’ was originally funded by an Arts Council Theatre Project Award with significant additional support provided by Draíocht, and presented at Dublin Theatre Festival 2021. In 2022 The Visit will tour nationwide, starting in Draíocht, thanks to a Touring Award from the Arts Council.
Read More about The Visit

MAY - Playground Orchestra Family Concert
After the huge success of Draíocht’s PLAYground Orchestra Project - which reached 7,000 children, aged 4-13 years, in twelve Dublin 15 primary schoolyards last Christmas – we are thrilled to reunite this 29-piece impressive orchestra for a fun and extravagant family concert of well-known music, from traditional to contemporary, including pop, tv and movie music, as part of Draíocht's 21st Birthday Celebrations.
Read More about Playground Orchestra

JUN-SEP - Michelle Hall (R)OARS Exhibition
Michelle Hall is an interdisciplinary visual artist from Dublin 15. '(R)OARS' has been specially commissioned by Draíocht, as part of it's celebration of visual art in its 21st year.
Read More about Michelle Hall (R)OARS Exhibition

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MEDIA

Centre Stage / Dublin City FM's Jack Gilligan in Conversation with Emer McGowan

Independent.ie / Emer McGowan chats with Laura Lynott, Irish Indo