Camden Palace arts group pleads with Cork council to help find new home

A pioneering Cork-based arts group which hosted artist studios and a Rory Gallagher recording studio has pleaded with City Hall for help finding a new home.

The board of directors of Camden Palace Hotel Community Arts Centre, which was forced to vacate its second temporary base in just over a year last Friday, said while the city risks “losing a valuable resource”, it is still not too late for City Hall to allow it use one of its vacant buildings, with the Butter Exchange in Shandon top of the wish-list.

In an open letter to city officials, the directors said: “This was a collective of artists that stood for independence, community spirit, and, above all, creativity. The artists will disperse. Some have already left Cork, some have even left Ireland.

“We still cannot understand why you fail to value artistic creativity and diversity as we know full well that you have property lying empty, for example the Butter Exchange.

“We cannot comprehend why you do not allow us to use this or some other building that is not immediately required for another purpose.

“We are not asking for charity. The council would actually save money by allowing us to use some of your vacant property.

“Unused spaces decay. They are expensive to insure and maintain. They require security. They are targets for vandalism. They are dead spaces which do nothing for the local community.

“Allow us to move in with no risk or cost to the city, and with everything to gain for its citizens.”

Thanks to the building owners, the arts group had been housed in the Atkins building on Camden Quay since 2009. It had a waiting list for 25 artist studios, had four workshop spaces, and a gallery for exhibitions. The building had a recording studio run by Rory Gallagher’s nephew, Eoin, and hosted an online radio station.

In 2015, the group facilitated more than 1,000 events, including 555 workshops or classes, 84 film screenings, 12 theatre shows, 15 photo and video shoots, nine all-age concerts, 10 exhibitions, five festivals, three conferences, 11 community events, five fundraisers, the recording of five albums, and 256 art therapy workshops and classes.

However, when the building was earmarked for office development, the group had to vacate in December 2015, securing temporary accommodation on John Redmond St. The group had to vacate that premises last Friday, leaving eight artists without studio space immediately.

Independent councillor Mick Finn said he values artistic creativity but that the council has no control over the private sites the group had been using.

He suggested it meet with the city’s arts officer, or the council’s arts committee, to explore possible solutions.

A council spokesman said the Butter Exchange would need a six-figure investment before it would be suited for use as an arts centre.

“The reality is that we don’t have a property suited to community arts use at present,” he said.

Camden spokesman Dave McCarthy said they will continue their campaign to secure a new premises.