Abbey will consider £30m plan for arts centre

SHAREHOLDERS at the National Theatre Society (the Abbey) in Dublin are expected to consider the Arts Council proposal for a new £30m national centre for the performing arts at a meeting this morning.

The proposal has generated considerable excitement, if not controversy, with most interested parties keen to get further information before responding definitively.

Ms Sile de Valera, the Fianna Fail spokeswoman on arts, culture and the Gaeltacht, however, welcomed the proposal and said she was "certain" her party would be supportive of it. It was, she said, "a tremendous idea", and drew attention to a statement she issued last October calling for the establishment of "a national conservatoire for music and the performing arts" as a millennium project.

However, Mr Colm O'Briain, adviser to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, speaking personally, said that after 20 years' involvement with the arts he was "always a bit wary of the sexy project".

It "might be a runner," he said, but there were "very many less glamorous [existing] projects in a state of neglect" due to lack of finance. "Perhaps my gaze is too low at the moment," he said, entering the caveat that that was "not to say the Arts Council shouldn't lift its eyes to brighter horizons".

The chairman of the National Theatre Society Board, Mr James Hickey, said they were aware of the Arts Council proposal, but not formally. It "had been mentioned in general terms", he said. The Abbey wished, however, to "proceed with its own development plans", he said. These involve restructuring the existing Abbey building at a cost of between £4 million and £16 million.

The theatre's artistic director, Mr Patrick Mason, said he felt "very strongly, for both historical and ideological reasons" that the Abbey "belongs to the city centre". He was "not sure how desirable it would be to move". "I rather like it as it is," he said.

Mr Michael Colgan, of the Gate Theatre, said he "just loves anybody spending money on the arts. It's great". He welcomed the proposal primarily because it might spark a discussion on existing theatres in Dublin". He cited the number of theatre companies looking for a base at the moment, established and successful ones like Rough Magic.

Deploring the situation in the capital, he said it was a case of six companies in search of a theatre". But he expected he would have a lot more to say on the proposal if he knew what was in it.

Ms Judy Woodworth, at the National Concert Hall, said she would consider the ideas carefully in the light of "potential competition". Personally, she would love to see an opera house/music theatre in the city, to serve arts which cannot be catered for by the concert hall.

Elaborating on the proposal, which was submitted to the Government yesterday, the Arts Council director, Ms Patricia Quinn, said it was envisaged the centre, if approved by Government, would also include conference facilities.

She was hopeful the Abbey might "join in" but said it had not been formally invited to do so yet. She understood it had "a passionate attachment to the current site" but it would be "most desirable if the Abbey was the lynchpin" of the new centre.

Ms Laura Magahy, managing director of Temple Bar properties and an Arts Council member, was enthusiastic about the proposal, which she felt would play a "catalytic role" in Dublin's development. She thought it "a great idea" and found the combination of water and culture very appealing.

"The city needs a large performance centre," she said, and felt it would be complimentary to rather than in competition with existing venues. It was "a really important visionary project for the city," she said.

The Arts Council chairman, Dr Ciara Benson, was anxious to dispel any suggestions that the development would have any similarities to the Sydney Opera House project. It would be on an appropriate scale for this country, but would not be "an emblem of Dublin".

If it was architecturally beautiful "then good and well". He would like it to be a named centre, such as "The Robinson Centre for the Performing Arts" perhaps, and one which would have appeal and be accessible, particularly pricewise, to young people.

The architect, Mr Sean O'Laoire, who is preparing the Docklands development plan, envisaged such a development being placed on a site on the north side of the river, probably on the Custom House Dock site. He felt it should be "a dynamic piece of civic architecture".