Five prominent Dublin city locations are to be given a makeover by "street artists" to celebrate the reopening of the city as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Dublin City Council is seeking applications as it plans to commission large-scale murals on the sides of five buildings or construction site hoardings, some of which are regularly defaced by graffiti.
The locations chosen include the hoarding on Townsend Street that runs along the site of the former Screen Cinema and former College House An Post building, which is being redeveloped by property group Marlet. The gable end of a house at 88 Prussia Street in Dublin 7 has also been selected. A second Dublin 7 site, closer to the city on Bow Street, at the end of Kish fish shop, will also be used.
Another hoarding will be painted at Kevin Street, at the site of the former DIT campus there, which is being redeveloped for apartments and offices. The final site is at the side of the St Vincent de Paul shop at 59 Lower Dorset Street, at the gable end which faces the Royal Canal and is persistently blighted by graffiti.
“This innovative project is intended to improve and animate the general appearance of five different sites across the city, while also supporting street artists to make highly visible work in the city centre,” the council said.
“Artists are encouraged to be as creative as possible with their designs. The purpose is to celebrate the city and enhance the experience of the public when coming into the city by ‘painting the town’.”
The theme for proposed artworks is open, but should “seek to engage all ages and abilities”, the council said. “Other suggested themes may include city living, reopening the city, environment or climate change, themes specific to the location’s uses or history, playful city, Dublin city centre, urbanism, accessibility, etc,” it said.
The deadline for receipt of applications is noon on July 5th. The artworks are scheduled to be completed by mid-August.
