Triskel launches strategic plan for upgrade of Cork arts centre
Tony Sheehan, artistic director of Triskel in Cork.
As it gears up for its 50th anniversary in 2028, Triskel Arts Centre in Cork has launched an ambitious strategic plan. Tony Sheehan, artistic director of the Tobin Street centre, says Triskel acted as “a lifeline” for his generation of artists when it opened in 1978. He wants to ensure that today’s young artists can be part of a network of arts and culture that a second city deserves.
The plan — which was launched on Saturday, November 1, in the presence of Taoiseach Micheál Martin — calls for a €1.2 million capital investment programme and a target to raise an additional €100,000 annually in revenue funding. Sheehan makes the case that these investments will strengthen Triskel’s artistic programme, infrastructure and community impact.
“We need more programming money,” says Sheehan, who has been in his role since 2006.
The centre, which aims to promote underserved art forms including jazz and classical music, is funded by public money up to around 60%. “The rest we earn ourselves. When I came to Triskel, 80% of it was publicly funded. That dropped to 42% during the hard economic years.”
Sheehan says Triskel needs an enhanced relationship with the Arts Council and City Council that recognises that the arts centre is strategically important and has been a part of Cork life since its inception.
“It has seen all sorts of people come through, helping to develop the careers of some amazing actors and visual artists such as Cillian Murphy, Vivienne Roche and Maud Cotter.”
The strategic plan has been guided by traditional musician, arts consultant and a former senior member of the Arts Council, Dermot McLaughlin. He worked closely with the chair of Triskel’s board, Paula Cogan and the other board members.
Of the capital programme plan, Sheehan says: “It envisages us investing in technology to make us a digital arts centre and to be able to respond to new up and coming technologies, processes and approaches to the arts.
"One of the things we are going to work towards is the creation of a digital arts festival that will be based at Triskel. We’re going to develop it over a three-year period, beginning next year. I’m hoping that it won’t be just us and that we will be in partnership with others for this festival. That’s an example of how we want to use new technology, basically to get ourselves ready for the next generation of artists.”
Sheehan also wants the Triskel to be one of the first heritage arts centres that is environmentally up-to-date and sustainable. He stresses that the plan is all about partnership.
“We’ll be making our case to the government, the local authorities, private investors and our sponsors to see if they’ll come on board. We'll be fund-raising as well.”
Sheehan is not bothered by the extensive work taking place on South Main Street from which Triskel can be entered.
“Our strategic plan envisages our place within the redeveloped cultural quarter. We’re looking forward to the events centre. For us, it’s an opportunity. It may mean we will have to completely rethink how we programme, what time of the day or night we’re programming for and how we can adapt. It’s all about being flexible and not afraid of change.”
Delighted to be working with Sample Studios, Sheehan describes this 300-strong visual artists’ collective as one of the most energetic groups of people he has ever met. The members exhibit regularly at Triskel.
Sheehan says the art-house cinema at Triskel has been a very successful venture. "At a time when other cinemas are closing down, such as in Galway, we fund our cinema ourselves.”
Though the old church seating at the Christchurch venue has been improved in terms of comfort, it can't compete with modern cinemas.
“The seating issue is legitimate enough. As part of our capital development plan, we are going to carry out a feasibility study to see if there’s some way we can improve the seating while keeping the heritage cinema. It’s probably the most beautiful cinema in the country.”
Sheehan says Triskel is up there with leading European arts centres, being a home and a destination for experimentation. He is proud to host the Cork Theatre Collective, a legacy of the former Corcadorca theatre company which ran the Theatre Development Centre at Triskel, developing and rehearsing new work.
Cogan says: “This strategic plan reflects the board’s commitment to ensuring Triskel remains a vital force in Cork’s cultural life. As we approach our 50th anniversary, we are focused on building a sustainable, technologically advanced and environmentally responsible future for the centre. Our vision is for Triskel to continue inspiring creativity, collaboration and artistic excellence for generations to come.”
