New Hub for Wexford Artists
THE ART EXPLORER DISCUSSES THE OPENING OF A NEW CREATIVE CENTRE IN WEXFORD TOWN.
I recently went to the opening of Wexford County Council’s new Creative Hub, to see what a ‘centre for creativity might look like. How would it feel? How could something like ‘creativity’ be contained and packaged? A term like ‘hub’ suggests such great promise. Would it be like a toolbox, full of oily rags and shavings, with smells and evidence of the craft of making? Perhaps a treasure-trove of shiny gems, all laid out? Would it contain the comfort and reassurance of pastoral landscapes? Would it entertain like a circus or challenge like graffiti? I brought all of these questions with me, my cynicism packed safely into my pocket like a loaded gun.
Situated in what was previously the Cornmarket Shopping Mall, in the heart of Wexford town, the Hub’s location could not be better. Referred to as the ‘cultural spine’, this street links the library, Opera House, Wexford Art Centre, and the historic Selskar Abbey. The location is, therefore, both practical and symbolic, reflecting aspirations to integrate cultural and commercial life within the town. The space was originally opened temporarily to artists, in response to a need for exhibition space during the 2017 Wexford Opera Festival and Arts Week. This was a great success and prompted the council to lease the space from local businessman Eamonn Buttle for a three-year period, as part of their Arts Plan. The Hub is administered by the Wexford Art Centre and comprises a mixture of working studios, exhibition space, and retail outlets. Rents range between €100 and €350 per month for individual and shared units, with 12-month leases currently being offered.. Artists were selected through an open competition, with a broad spectrum of art practices represented, including visual arts, drama and music. Also included is the local FDYS Music Programme[i].
Entrance to the centre is through a set of wide glass doors, where a steep stairwell leads to the main hallway. Tiled surfaces and hollow sounds echo our ascent from the busy street, our expectations rising as we climb. A crowd is gathering, displaying that blend of rebelliousness and respectability found only in the arts. After the traditional round of speeches (thanking him, thanking her, thanking you and him again…) a gold-chained voice calls out, in the spirit of Wexford hurling, for S.T.E.A.M – a poetic cry highlighting the importance of the arts in education. Scribblers hunch to get it all down. Stragglers lean against walls like Sunday mass and the show begins. The hall fills with a wild, witch-like call, as Deirdre Wadding – the ‘Red-Blooded Green Woman’ wearing a black cape and wielding a bodhrán – prompts the crowd into action. Passive silence is not permitted, as we nervously mouth incantations between sideward glances of wonder and disbelief. Ordinary reserve is shattered, now that the artists are loose. Later on, music takes a more traditional form, as 14-year-old musician Lauren Doyle, with the voice of an angel, plucked simplicity from her guitar to soothe the anxious crowd.
There then followed our forays into individual artist’s studios, some clean, precise, and professional, others raw and full of hope. One very large space, called ‘The Makers House’, is packed with works by several artists, presented in the style of Kilkenny Design Centre. Next door, huddled groups convene in a low-lit space, where conversation itself is honored through dramatic engagement. Strewn about this shared space are microphones and a large video screen, amidst the bewitching drapery of an ancient forest tent. On a blanket is the paraphernalia of a druid and storyteller. Here it seems, creativity is a currency that is freely exchanged. As the atmosphere warms up and intimacy thickens, conversations are had between mingling artists who share hopes and dreams for the space. The aspiration to integrate art and commerce is widely discussed, including its implications for future arts practice and the potential for public engagement. We are reminded that this centre is the culmination of a long campaign by artists and others over many years. As with any shared creative space, there remains much to be explored.
Then unannounced, a poet steps forward, hesitantly pulling back a heavy black veil to reveal a large monochrome portrait by artist Peter Kelly of the deceased pedophile priest, Sean Fortune (nicknamed ‘The Monster’). With trembling voice, he delivers a deeply moving reading, a sharing of shocking truths and deep wounds. All present are hushed and respectfully attentive. This dark unveiling brought no celebration, just an honest sharing of our common, savaged past, still present. The evening gently moves on again with poetry and song. Much later, as I walked home through Wexford’s streets, I vowed to pay tribute to the Hub, and the honesty and bravery encountered in this centre of creativity. Above all, the opening event was a moving and inspiring tribute to the courageous inhabitants of Wexford town and their energetic embrace of the arts.
i] FDYS is the Ferns Diocesan Youth Service, located on Francis Street in Wexford.