Since 2012, Smock Alley Theatre has been the home to a thriving community of artists and audiences who have presented and enjoyed a multi-disciplinary programme of work. Smock Alley has partnered with the city’s leading cultural festivals, presented its own work including The Scene & Heard Festival as well as a variety of in-house productions and co-productions and supported a legion of artists through a variety of artist support programmes.
Through this activity Smock Alley has established itself as a vital part of the arts infrastructure in Ireland.
However, it has been long apparent that the finance model of the theatre is unsustainable. The board of Smock Alley have been in discussions with its landlord – Temple Bar Cultural Trust – and other key stakeholders to find a new funding pathway that would secure the future of the theatre.
Dublin City Council and Temple Bar Cultural Trust have been examining opportunities for the establishment of a new Municipal Theatre within Temple Bar and in recognition of the unique heritage of Smock Alley Theatre, they will establish the new company at this site.
The support offered by Temple Bar Cultural Trust and Dublin City Council to the new Dublin Municipal Theatre at Smock Alley will take both a capital and a revenue development approach that only a local authority can meaningfully resource.
This is an extremely exciting outcome for this landmark building. Dublin City Council and Temple Bar Cultural Trust alongside the Arts Council of Ireland will fund and support this new company to continue to deliver a creative programme of work as well as a suite of artist supports within the theatre. The company will also continue to run weddings and corporate events in Smock Alley’s unique Banquet Hall.
A transition is underway where the programme, contracts, staff, and assets of Smock Alley Theatre CLG will transfer to the new Dublin Municipal Theatre. For our audience, guests and clients and the artists and companies we work with, there will be no interruption of business. In fact anyone engaging with us, whether putting on a play, buying a ticket or are planning a wedding or event will notice no significant difference as the transition occurs.
The creation of the new Dublin Municipal Theatre’s mission, values and programme will be the subject of a year-long developmental process as the new company begins its operations in the theatre. The Dublin City Arts Office has convened the theatre community to hear from theatre professionals of all kinds about what they consider the new Municipal Theatre should bring to Dublin and the wider industry as it builds on Smock Alley’s long history to create a new Municipal cultural facility that will serve a diverse audience to the highest possible standards.
The Board and staff of Smock Alley welcomes the establishment of the new Dublin Municipal Theatre and the transition of the programme and events. Smock Alley Theatre first opened its doors to audiences over 350 years ago. This new arrangement secures the future of the building as a cultural hub and ensures that artists and audiences will continue to engage with the best of Irish theatre and performance for the next 350 years.