Despite efforts including a march, a petition and multiple demonstrations, Artistic Director of The Complex Vanessa Fielding has announced the closure of the arts and culture venue
15:39, 15 Jan 2026Updated 15:39, 15 Jan 2026
Dublin arts space The Complex announced today that it will close.
The closure comes after the cultural venue was given "notice to quit" by January 14 2026, and many attempts were made to prevent its closure. Only this week, an emergency motion calling for the protection of Dublin arts venue The Complex was passed by Dublin City Council.
However, in a statement from The Complex CEO and Artistic Director Vanessa Fielding, she said that despite efforts "no workable solution" has been found to save the space. The arts space is home to exhibitions, gigs, workshops and more, as well as being the primary studio space for a number of artists.
"The Complex will close following the failure of Government and Dublin City Council to secure a viable resolution for an arts organization that has operated continuously in the north west inner city for 18 years," Vanessa said in a statement. "During that time, The Complex developed into a nationally and internationally recognised centre for contemporary Irish arts, supporting hundreds of artists, freelancers, technicians, designers, producers, and staff, and providing sustained cultural infrastructure in an area of the city with limited access to the arts. "Despite prolonged engagement and repeated assurances, no workable solution was delivered. The loss of The Complex represents a failure of cultural policy, accountability, and long-term planning within the public system.
"Our efforts have also been frustrated by an inflexible landlord, focused exclusively on achieving vacant possession, to maximise the redevelopment value of the site."
Vanessa added that the closure represents a failure in the fulfilment of commitments to support artistic spaces in Dublin. She said: "This outcome stands in direct contradiction to stated commitments to support Irish arts, cultural employment, and equitable access to cultural life in Dublin."
On December 17 2025, hundreds of people marched across Dublin in support of the centre to deliver a petition to government calling for the space to be saved. The petition was signed, to date, by over 16,000 individuals.
"Culture is an integral part of our city and in order to retain it It's absolutely critical that we have a place for artists," Vanessa told Dublin Live previously. Closer and risk of closure is a familiar issue hanting many of Dublin's most cherished cultural spaces in Dublin over the past decade, including Monster Truck Gallery, Moxie Studios, The Hendrons Building, Block T, D-Lite Studios, Steam Box gallery, Damn Fine Print's studio space, Tivoli Theater and Ormond Art Studios.
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