Project Arts Centre’s Open Day is back on Saturday, August 30, with an electric programme of free workshops, performances, screenings, DJ sets, gallery tours, food, and so much more.
From 11am to 5pm, pop in for a nose and explore this year’s diverse programme. With a fully accessible space and programme with ISL-interpreted events and networking, relaxed spaces, sensory-adapted environments, audio-described film and more, there is truly something for everyone to discover at this year’s Open Day. And even better, there is no booking required for any of the Open Day events. Just show up, and see where the day might take you.
Speaking on this year’s Open Day, Artistic Director Sophie Motley said: “I am thrilled to be presenting the fourth iteration of Project Arts Centre’s Open Day on Saturday 30th August. Working with our brilliant producer of this year’s programme, Karen Aguiar, we will be presenting work from some of Ireland’s most exciting creatives.
“Project’s Open Day is a real chance for those who haven’t explored what’s behind our doors to come in and see what we’re about, and for those who do know us, we hope you’ll discover something new that you haven’t experienced before. Come along, throw yourself in, or find a cosy space to chill out in one of our quiet spaces if that’s more your vibe. We can’t wait to welcome you!”
Project Arts Centre’s 2025 Open Day programme includes:
10:45am – Join us for a welcome drink from Middle Eastern hospitality curators TAWLA Collective to kick off the day!
Jessie Thompson | Movement and Performance Workshop
11am to 12pm
Space Upstairs
Hip-hop and contemporary artist Jessie Thompson is welcoming people from all disciplines and backgrounds who have an interest in movement or/and performance. Through using elements of her work Live Dance work to date, such as CRAWLER, the workshop will look at presence in the body as performance, collaboration within an environment and sustaining endurance. This workshop encourages beginners as well as professional practitioners to engage with their physicality, breath and pleasure in a theatrical setting.
Tour with Artistic Director Sophie Motley
11 to 11:30am – Meet in foyer
Join our Artistic Director Sophie Motley on a behind-the-scenes tour of Project Arts Centre. This is for anyone who wants to get to know Project, ask a few questions, have a good nose, or hear what our Artistic Director is loving at the moment. Sign yourself up (or not, you can just pop along on the day if you fancy it).
Neurogamers Ireland
11am to 5pm – Downstairs
NeuroGamers Ireland, formed in 2023, is an unincorporated association that provides a safe, inclusive space for people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and others to play board games and meet people.
Film Screenings
12pm to 1:10pm – The Cube
Immerse yourself in a collection of films from Irish artist Phillip Connaughton and a selection of Brazilian filmmakers. They will be screening Phillip’s most recent award-winning dance film Rebellious Hope, and three films from a Brazilian collection titled The City Gents, Sunflower and Roll 1: What Am I Looking At?. More information on each film can be found at projectartscentre.ie.
Breadline | Theatre Reading
12:15pm to 12:25pm – Downstairs
THE LOST PROLOGUE. An ode to the lost words of Irish Theatre. The missing monologues, the slashed soliloquys and the dumped dialogue that never had their hour in the sun. Breadline explore and expand on a prologue that never made it into their St. Mary’s Mansions Trilogy.
History of Project + Queer Theatre | Talk w/Q&A
12:30pm to 1pm – Space Upstairs
Han Tiernan will present ‘Foul, Filthy, Stinkin‘, Muck’, a short presentation exploring the origins of the Project Arts Centre and its early days of LGBTQ+ theatre.
Tawla Collective | Food with Hospitality Art
12:30pm to 1:30pm – Upstairs
Co-curating thoughtful, concept-led gatherings, Tawla is more than just food. Founded by Sula, she transforms the space into a cosy, conversation-filled dining experience, where origin stories are shared, and Middle Eastern dishes bring everyone together. It’s not just about the food — it’s about connection, care, and community.
Maryam Madani | Dance Performance w/Q&A
1:15pm to 1:55pm – Space Upstairs
Maryam Madani combines wheelchair dancing with spoken word and song to tell a personal and universal story of the struggle of the spirit to survive and soar in a world full of oppressive forces, a world not designed for disabled people; the power of familial support and sisterhood; and the journey towards healing, disability pride and liberation.
Gráinnemir Abualrob | Theatre Workshop
1:25pm to 2:05pm – The Cube
Gráinnemir Abualrob is a Palestinian queer actor and educator based in Dublin. They are graduates of The Freedom Theatre (TFT) in Jenin Refugee Camp, Palestine, where they studied Theatre and Cultural Resistance for four years. They are bringing their One of Many Workshop to the Open Day, which explores the importance of using cultural resistance in the arts in Palestine and how it can be used here in Ireland.
Who Are We Now, Together? Fatima Groups United | Film Screening
2:20pm to 2:40pm – The Cube
Who Are We Now, Together? is a short film depicting the work of LGBTQ+ community group Out South-Central and arts worker Hannah Scrine. The film reflects on how LGBTQ+ communities are mis/represented in arts projects and how to avoid using queers as decoration.
Arínola Theatre | Presentation / Zine Reading
2:40pm to 3:00pm – Space Upstairs
Created by Arínola Theatre, MY CITY TOO is a zine dedicated to the artistic responses of immigrant artists to far-right violence. The zine is packed with poems, artwork, short stories, prose and music by people from immigrant communities, a lot of the work inspired by the rise in recent far-right violence and anti-immigrant sentiment in Ireland. The zine will be available for purchase, and there will be a brief talk on why it exists and how you can support artists of colour in Dublin, as well as a few readings from the zine.
WeAreGriot | Spoken Word Performance
2:40pm to 3pm – Space Upstairs
WeAreGriot is a collective of Irish poets, storytellers, performers and playwrights dedicated to celebrating the power of creative expression. Drawing inspiration from the West African griot tradition, WeAreGriot amplifies voices from diverse backgrounds, using poetry and performance to explore contemporary issues, foster community, and push the boundaries of artistic expression. They will present performances from Dagogo Hart and Samuel Yakora.
IBILE | Food Catering
3pm to 5pm
IBILE is a modern West African dining experience that honours tradition while embracing innovation. Rooted in cultural integrity, community, and craftsmanship, they celebrate the region’s rich flavours and stories through bold food, art, and hospitality, inviting guests to connect with the vibrancy of Africa in every bite. This is your chance to taste the flavours of one of Ireland’s most exciting food and hospitality experiences of the moment, for free!
DJ Sets from DJ BLCKCNS & Crystal Queer Club
3pm to 5pm
Come shake loose with DJ BLCKCNS, founder of The Sweet Spot Social, who’s encouraging you to come through and unwind after the grind and Dublin-based collective Crystal Queer Club, who celebrate diversity, inclusion, and the power of electronic dance music.
Jenny Brady | The Glass Booth
11am to 5pm – The Gallery
In her new experimental moving image work, The Glass Booth / An Both Gloine, artist Jenny Brady casts a cinematic gaze on the figure of the interpreter, exploring the interpreting profession and the contemporary landscape of interpretation. Through vignettes set in both extreme and familiar environments, the film portrays the processes of listening, speaking, and forgetting within acts of formal and informal interpretation.
These are all of the incredible events featured at this year’s Open Day at the Project Arts Centre. Pop by on August 30 and be sure not to miss such a great opportunity to get to know the centre and the amazing work they do. Find out more here.
© 2025 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
This post is sponsored by Project Arts Centre
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