Project Arts Centre’s annual open day is back, promising a programme full of free performances, workshops, talks, gallery tours, food, music and community spirit. Block off your calendar from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, June 20, for a jam-packed occasion you don’t want to miss.
Now in its fifth year, Project Arts Centre’s Open Day showcases the role the venue plays as a cultural hub for accessible art in Dublin’s city centre. There is no faff, no fuss, and no booking required, simply rock up on the day and enjoy all that’s on offer.
Wander through the building, where behind every door and nestled into every nook, you’ll find something different. Experience visual arts with gallery tours of Polish queer artist Liliana Zeic’s Eating The Sun, or sit in on a screening of The Floor is Yours by dance artist Jessie Thompson or Let it Go, the directorial debut from Louise Bruton.
Sarah-Jane O’Regan, known for her electric performances interpreting for the likes of Oasis and Taylor Swift, will bring your favourite tunes to life in her iconic ISL Disco. Working-class duo, D’Girlo’s Theatre, will also present a condensed version of their award-winning play That’s Sooo Povo.
Across both of Project Arts Centre’s performance spaces, there will also be dance and voice workshops by Alessandra Azeviche and Tierra Porter. BLACK TONES are additionally set to provide a community space for Black and Brown storytellers, and Neurogamers Ireland will offer neurodivergent folks a place to meet and play games. Finally, prepare for the return of Smilin’ Kanker (Ciaran O’Keeffe), who was Alternative Miss Ireland 2009 and will be performing across the public spaces of the building throughout the day.
Speaking on the 2026 programme, creative producer of the Open Day, Adrian Colwell, said: “We’re elated to present the fifth iteration of Project Arts Centre’s annual Open Day on Saturday 20th June. What began as an exploration into expanding hospitality has evolved into a serious commitment to equipping the building to grow as an important space for engaging new audiences and public curiosity.
“Project’s Annual Open Day is for anyone who’s never been to Project, for artists who have never presented their work in Project, and for any community who has not yet seen their stories on our stages or in our spaces. We hope that these artists inspire you to engage with Project in the future, or to access a creative life yourself, however that looks for you.”
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Project Arts Centre has been a home, hub and hive for adventurous artists and audiences for over 50 years. From humble beginnings in 1966 as a small, artist-led collective, it has evolved into Ireland’s leading centre for the contemporary arts.
Inspired and shaped by its location in the heart of Dublin city centre and the people living there, the venue is committed to having audiences as an integral part of its artistic planning by supporting diverse creatives to make and present work that speaks to the complexities of contemporary life in Ireland. Each year, Project welcomes almost 60,000 people to over 600 events, including performances, exhibitions, talks, workshops, community projects and schools’ residencies, and presents extraordinary work that inspires and provokes.
To find out more about Project Arts Centre, click here, and to find the full programme for the 2026 Open Day, click here.
© 2026 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
This post is sponsored by Project Arts Centre
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