Outdoor art market along riverfront mooted
Merrion Square in Dublin hosts a regular Sunday outdoor art market, a venture that could be replicated in Athlone along the riverfront or in other locations.
Cllr Frankie Keena (FF) appealed to the council to support the idea of a new Athlone Art Market in a motion this month, and to discuss ways the local authority could support talented artists to showcase their works in the open air on a regular basis.
Speaking at the October meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District, the Fianna Fáil public representative remarked that this venture could be a unique offering for locals and visitors alike along the riverfront and close to the Greenway, or in the space close to the Luan Gallery.
Dublin City Council organises the Merrion Square outdoor art market every Sunday, where artists simple hang their paintings on the railing for sale without shelter, and Cllr Keena said he'd like to the council be more proactive in Athlone to do something similar, where many talented local artists could showcase their art regularly.
Referring to the answer he received from the local authority, he disagreed with the onus being put on a community group to organise such an event, which he said was a daunting task.
It was a view shared by Cllr Louise Heavin, who commented that there are professional staff attached to the Luan Gallery who are connected with artists. There is Fáilte Ireland funding also available, and such a venture wouldn't require huge money, she added.
Supporting the proposal, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke asked that they first consult with artists to gauge interest and generate ideas, while Cllr John Dolan wondered about using the atrium in the Civic Centre where there is an art exhibition currently on display.
While Director of Services Barry Kehoe agreed it was a good idea to create some atmosphere in the town centre, he referred to the various locations like the Luan Gallery and other places where artists can already show and sell their work.
He reminded members that Dublin City Council has 6,000 staff, unlike Westmeath, but in saying that he recognised the potential of the idea.
Mr Kehoe suggested that the motion is referred to the Board of Athlone Arts and Tourism to get a view on an outdoor art market and how it could be achieved. It could, perhaps, start as an occasional event and then become more regular event, he added.
The Arts Office in Westmeath County Council said it would be “delighted to be involved in any initiative that provided additional visibility to Athlone/Westmeath visual artists” in a written reply to Cllr Keena's motion, however, it referred to the current indoor spaces already in Athlone, including Luan Gallery, Abbey Road Studios, Athlone Library, Athlone Civic Centre atrium, Athlone Art Gallery in The Village at Burgess and upstairs in the Dean Crowe Theatre.
The written reply also pointed out out that any outdoor market would need to consider infrastructure, weather protection, canopy covers, how it would be funded, the cost of staff, insurance and the location.
It suggested linking in with existing providers in the visual arts space, who might be able to partner on the ground with a space near their existing facilities.