BLOCK T is excited to announce that we have found a new home in Basin View, Dublin 8, and we are calling on all who care about creative spaces in the city to join us and invest in the future of BLOCK T through our new crowd-funding campaign.

Ever since the announcement of BLOCK T’s exit from Smithfield at the end of March, due to redevelopment of the BLOCK T building, we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and affection that the public, local stakeholders and the creative community has shown to us. We have received many kind words, letters of encouragement, and gestures of goodwill, which have reached us from all corners of the city and beyond. 

The extensive media coverage resulted in a series of offers from organisations and individual members of the public, who want to see the project survive and thrive. This has given us real hope for the future of BLOCK T, and has highlighted the value and need for sustainable grassroots arts organisations in Ireland. 

The values that underpin the cornerstones of the organisation, that creativity enriches people’s lives and is a fundamental part of being, is what makes our case even more important in this time of economic recovery. We believe that creativity transcends any discipline, background or education and is integral to everyone’s quality of life. It is the foundation of all self-expression and is what gives us our humanity. An inspiring destination is inclusive, innovative and expressive and reflects all shades of the community it inhabits. The cultural architects and animators of the city, from grassroots organisations to institutions and all in between, are the ones who fuel its beating heart.

This change has also given us a wonderful opportunity to look back at all that we have achieved and to clearly see BLOCK T’s positive contribution towards our members, the local community and the cultural landscape across the country. 

“Over the six years we have been in Smithfield, we have seen over 150,000 visitors to Smithfield Square, we have supported and facilitated over 800 creatives and organisations, produced hundreds of public projects and events onsite and offsite, and educated and engaged with thousands of people in our community. We have seen ourselves acting as an incubator and generator of jobs in the creative industries, while also offering infrastructures and subsidies for our community, young creative talent and entrepreneurs, allowing them to focus on what they do best.” 

- Laura GDovn, Managing Director, BLOCK T

We believe the case for promoting and supporting the arts in Ireland has never been stronger and we know we have a role to play and prove by action that BLOCK T can meet new challenges head-on. For these reasons we have a couple of important announcements to make.

• First, we are excited to announce that we have secured a fantastic new home in Basin View, Dublin 8, close to the Guinness Storehouse. This space will house some of our current artists in the form of studios, hot-desks and a shared workspace environment, it will also house our popular Skillsets learning platform. This will allow us to continue to grow and welcome more people, while also working on the long-term vision and plan for BLOCK T in the heart of the city.

• Second, today we are launching a crowd-funding campaign, seeking your support and investment in the future of BLOCK T to help us fund the transition process, in return for a range of unique rewards for your support. This is a real opportunity for people to act, to intervene and to promote something special in Dublin. All proceeds of the money raised will go towards essential renovations and the installation of equipment and materials in order to provide you with an excellent facility as well as ensuring BLOCK T thrives into the future.

#blocktrisesagain #supportblockt #creativedublin