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Dublin Contemporary 2011 Proves a Great Success

Over 150,000 Visitors, 200 Schools, 5 Continents and 96 Bespoke Events!

Dublin Contemporary 2011, Ireland’s international art exhibition, closed on Monday, 31st October after eight successful weeks. Recording over 150,000 visitors to the main exhibition hub in Earlsfort Terrace and the five partnering venues, 3,400 guests at The Office of Non-Compliance, 2,000 attendees at various talks and lectures and thousands more who interacted with the public realm, Ireland’s largest ever art exhibition exceeded its 150,000 visitor target.

Some 114 artists from 30 countries and five continents participated in Dublin Contemporary 2011. In addition to the 170 artworks exhibited in Earlsfort Terrace and the partnering venues, the city’s streets also came alive with visual art, as 16 artists from Ireland, the UK and America turned 22 sites across the city into large urban artworks as part of Dublin Contemporary’s Roadworks programme.

Commenting on the success of Ireland’s international art exhibition, Jimmy Deenihan TD., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said, ‘Over the past eight weeks, the ground work for the future of visual arts in Ireland has been firmly cemented by Dublin Contemporary 2011. The success of this world scale exhibition means that we can now proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with other cities who host major international art exhibitions such as Documenta in Kassel and the Liverpool Biennial.’

Dublin Contemporary 2011 was delighted to welcome 3,400 visitors to The Office of Non-Compliance, which acted as the idea-generating engine of the exhibition. The Office of Non-Compliance hosted 33 bespoke events, with 148 contributors, among them, 6 hopeful Presidential candidates!

As well as offering a place for active discussion and debate at a critical juncture in Ireland’s history, one of Dublin Contemporary’s most significant goals was to widen the access of contemporary art to a larger public. The Dublin Contemporary Education Programme, generously sponsored by KPMG, was the route many visitors took towards a greater understanding of the exhibition. Over 500 Ten Minute Talks, Daily Scoop and Highlight Tours took place at Earlsfort Terrace, ensuring that the general public had a variety of options to inform their visit to the exhibition. In Earlsfort Terrace alone, 200 schools and 7,360 students from across Ireland participated in tailored tours, workshops, exam prep and outreach programmes.

Dublin Contemporary 2011, Ireland’s International Art Exhibition - Some Key Statistics

Main Statistics
• Dublin Contemporary 2011, Ireland’s international art exhibition, closed on Monday, 31st October after eight successful weeks
• Dublin Contemporary 2011 recorded over 150,000 visitors to the main exhibition hub in Earlsfort Terrace and the five partnering venues, (National Gallery of Ireland, RHA, The Douglas Hyde Gallery and Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane), exceeding its 150,000 visitor target
• Some 114 artists from 30 countries and five continents participated in Dublin Contemporary 2011
• 170 artworks exhibited in Earlsfort Terrace and the partnering venues
16 artists from Ireland, the UK and America turned 22 sites across the city into large urban artworks as part of Dublin Contemporary’s Roadworks programme
35 Irish artists exhibited in Dublin Contemporary 2011

The Office of Non-Compliance
• 3,400 guests attended The Office of Non-Compliance
• The Office of Non-Compliance hosted 33 bespoke events
• 148 contributors

Talks and Lectures
• 2,000 guests attended various talks and lectures
• The talks and lectures series included talks such as ‘Meet the Maker’, ‘Meet the Artist’, The Poetry of Vision: Earlsfort Terrace, The Art of Contemporary Collecting and An Introduction to Contemporary Art

Education Programme
• Sponsored by KPMG
• Over 500 Ten Minute Talks, Daily Scoop and Highlight Tours took place at Earlsfort Terrace
• 200 schools and 7,360 students from across Ireland participated in tailored tours, workshops, exam prep and outreach programmes