A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY arts centre in Dublin’s north inner city has been issued with a notice to quit its premises, and will have to vacate the building by the middle of next month unless it secures funding, according to the centre’s management.

The Complex is a cultural hub located on Arran Street East, part of where the old fruit and vegetable markets were located in the city. It comprises a performance space, a gallery, and seventeen artists’ studios.  

It puts on a regular programme of cultural events throughout the year, including visual art exhibitions, concerts, installations, artist talks, theatre events, among others. 

The notice to quit comes at a time when a number of artistic and cultural institutions have been threatened with closure or forced to close in the city. Venues and arts spaces such as Jigsaw, Hangar, The Tivoli Theatre, Block T and others have all closed in recent years, as a result of private development.

The Complex was set up as a company in 2008, and became a registered charity in 2010. It has been located in a number of buildings around Dublin’s north west inner city, and has been at its current premises since 2019.

However, in a brief statement shared last night on the centre’s social media page, management said it had now been served with a motion to quit. 

“The Complex has been given notice to quit on 14th January 2026,” the charity stated.

‘We’re not closed yet’

Speaking to TheJournal this afternoon, CEO and artistic director Vanessa Fielding said that there was still a chance to resolve the issue, but that it would require capital funding from the Department of Finance. 

“We are not closed yet. The opportunity is still there to resolve it. It’s not gone yet,” Fielding said.

“And what it relies on his capital funding from the Department of Finance, which is the last piece of the jigsaw and also the first piece.”

Fielding said that the Complex was in negotiations with the owner to co-purchase the building with a private developer. The Complex would be permitted to remain where it is situated, with the rest of the building being re-developed into student accommodation. 

She said that the Complex had raised some money to fund the purchase, and that Dublin City Council had offered to provide some funding to make a shortfall, but that €6 million was required from the Department of Finance. 

Despite a number of meetings, Fielding said that the Department of Finance had not made a decision on whether to provide the funding, but Fielding said “there is still time” to prevent the Complex from having to leave their premises.

“I think on a macro level, it’s a sizeable piece of cultural infrastructure that does an awful lot of things… This is a great opportunity and it seems very good value for money and an important venue for the north west inner city,” she said.

Petition

A petition has since been launched by the Save the Arts campaign group on the platform Uplift, calling on Dublin City Council and the Arts Council to take action to prevent the Complex from being evicted. As of this afternoon it had garnered 4,613 signatures.

“Today The Complex cultural and arts space announced they are being evicted on January 14th,” the organisers wrote.

“We need urgent action to save the building. We need Dublin City Council, Politicians and The Arts Council to take action! Sign this petition to show we care about cultural spaces!”

Commenting on the notice, Social Democrats arts spokesperson Sinéad Gibney said the centre was “integral to Dublin’s art, music and creative industry”.

“The Complex has been home to exhibitions, gigs, and studio spaces since 2019 – it is now one of the most established cultural hubs in the city, with its own vibrant community and history,” Gibney said.

“Despite management’s years-long campaign to secure capital funding for the development of the building, the government has turned a blind eye, as it has to countless art spaces around the country.

“In recent years, Dublin has seen the closure of Jigsaw, Hangar, The Tivoli Theatre, and countless other venues – there’s very few places left to take in our Capital’s cultural heritage.

“The venue’s programme for 2026, including its commissions, gigs and exhibitions, has now been cancelled – the local economy will suffer as a result.

I implore the government to recognise the essential function of The Complex and do everything in its power to work with its management to preserve what has become an integral part of Dublin’s cultural infrastructure.