Stunned on Arthouse closure :

Friday July 26, 2002 14:57

by Stunned

Met the artists whose shows were interrupted 'squat the place' I said but they were 'polite' artists

In the end it's the staff who pay the price while board members* will jump to their next board appointment and continue to screw things up. From Stunned.org online Irish art tech zine

Arthouse closure
I wasn't going to comment on this but I will anyway: Arthouse mutimedia centre for the arts has closed without any warning .
Arthouse's mission was
to further the use of digital technologies in Irish artistic practice. With this in mind, Arthouse partners with both Irish and international artists in situations that support experimentation, flexibility, and diverse practices. It is our belief that by promoting artistic uses of digital technology we are helping ensure that the messages and moments arising out of new media are not dominated by industry alone. For this reason, Arthouse creates opportunities for artists, individuals and other nonprofit or charitable organisations that support each stage of production, from learning how to use a digital camera, or how to create a website, to accessing information, or experiencing a new artwork.

I was artist in residence in arthouse last year for six months What I found was a lively place with a throughput of Irish and International artists both on residencies and just passing through to use the facilities, a great staff who battled against non existant budgets and a board who seemed to have no understanding or appreciation of the quality of the work being done.

There were many problems including tiny budgets and a building that was inappropriate for it's function (it'd be a killer mobile phone salesroom though, watch this space) and way beyond their means but chief among the self inflicted problems was either an inability or an unwillingness to communicate what was actually being done every day at Arthouse. This reticence came from the highest level and in the end when the final rescue appeals went out they fell on deaf ears because if nobody knows what it is you do why should they care?

In the end it's the staff who pay the price while board members* will jump to their next board appointment and continue to screw things up.

As for digital art funding in Ireland now that Arthouse is gone the powers that be in the Department and the Arts Council are going to say well we tried that new media stuff, didn't work - went the same way as the dot com boom I don't think we're going to see any replacement soon.

*I exclude the artistic director from this