Culture Night saw thousands across towns and cities in Ireland flocking to celebrate the arts, emphasising the need to bolster art and heritage in local communities.

In Dublin 8, artist Ayelet Lalor opened the doors of her home studio and sculpture garden to the public on Culture Night. As explorations of the female form, she practices her work through sculpture, ceramics, painting and printmaking.

Ayelet spent the evening welcoming visitors, explaining the work she does and how she creates it. She remarked that though her studio is on the edge of The Liberties and somewhat removed from the buzz of the Culture Night events taking place in the city center, the turnout was notable.

“We had a constant flow of people who were interested, coming out all night, which was lovely. People made the effort,” she beamed.

The wide variety of people, young and old, who took the time to visit Ayelet’s little studio is indicative of a desire for art to be accessible and celebrated more often, not just one night a year. As Ayelet says: “We want soul!”

According to The Arts Council, over €260,000 in funding supported the late-night cultural events that sprang up across the country on Culture Night.  While other large-scale events like the Galway International Arts Festival are also funded by The Arts Council and local government bodies, artists say there is more that can be done to further connect modern Ireland and the arts.

Ayelet believes that by supporting the needs of artists alongside the development of communities, there is opportunity for culture and tourism to flourish simultaneously, beyond one-off events like Culture Night.

Citing The Liberties as an example, she notes the potential for the reintegration of visible artistic spaces to the area. Once brimming with brewers, weavers, distillers, tanners and other crafters, the legacy of these crafts is no longer evident when you stroll through the streets, despite many artists of the trades still living and working in the area.

With the right model, Ayelet believes that the Government could offer artists affordable street-level studio spaces with the stipulation that they be willing to showcase their processes and work to the public for free. She sees a potential future in which having walkable areas where tourists and residents alike can dip in and out of studios and see artists at work, is a win-win for all.

“All of those trades and makers were here [in The Liberties],” Ayelet argues. “Wouldn’t it be amazing, if you invited artists in, but you had the stipulation that you had to have your doors open? Therefore, you’re actually tying in, as opposed to tying out.”

The construction of new hotels and complexes of expensive apartments are often the subject of scrutiny by locals who feel as though culture and history are neglected. Ayelet argues that having art studios in these spaces would celebrate artistic heritage, ultimately support communities and boost tourism. This in turn, could counteract some of the negativity associated with developments.

“You’re reacting against all of the short-term stays and the hotels and everything that’s here, that aren’t going away. Instead of fighting it we work with it, but we keep our individuality. Therefore, this area becomes somewhere you that you come to, to find those unique little things,” she adds.

With many large empty spaces below the newbuild apartment blocks and developments in areas surrounding Cork Street, it is easy to imagine them operating as studios to accommodate artists and crafters of many kinds.

Currently, The Arts Council offers a Visual Artists Workspace Scheme, offering a subsidy for workspaces that can accommodate at least four professional artists on site. Priority is given to proposals that demonstrate a unique need for the workspace and can detail the support that the artists provide in their local area. However, these workspaces need to already exist to avail of the award.