The Guesthouse
The Guesthouse is a Cork Artists Collective (CAC) initiative that began in collaboration with the Cork City Council and with the support of the Arts Council of Ireland. In 2004, Shandon House was purchased by Cork City Council and entrusted to the CAC to develop a new visual arts initiative. In 2009, operating on a voluntary basis, The Guesthouse Project was launched and developed as a creative initiative, led by artists who were actively engaged in experimentation, interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, and collaboration. Its creation formed a unique type of workspace and social space that facilitated conversations and cross-practice exchanges within the arts and beyond. Inspired by the residential and domestic nature of the house, with the kitchen at its centre, open events became a key gathering point and an interface between the artists and the visiting public. The project has undergone significant changes over the past years and has maintained its vitality and necessity by assessing and questioning itself. It evolves in response to artists and a changing arts environment. The Guesthouse Project is an artistic endeavour, continuously questioning the notion of organisation. The A.I.R. residency duration was extended to enable visiting artists to establish deeper ties over a 3-month period. In 2020 they formed a non-resident community of artists to utilise the building as a shared work and meeting space, developing relationships, collaborating, and programming activities and events.
New developments include:
Sunday Sessions – multidisciplinary improvisation
T-Junction – hosted discussions, presentations, workshops and food
Off-site residencies and events
Ghost editions – limited edition productions
The residency is free of charge, the organisers would like resident artists to participate in and contribute to their regular programme of events. They invite residents to contribute to the Guesthouse programme by offering to host a lunch, do a presentation, workshop, performance, lecture, discussion, or exhibition or create publications, C.D.s D.V.Ds or print works for their label.
There is a double desk space in the artists' apartment. They have a library room and event space with projector and sound system and is set up for live video and sound streaming. There is a shared makers space with facilities for cutting printing and scanning. A fully equipped kitchen and dining room is available for meetings culinary artists and experimental dining.
The artist in residence is facilitated with a loft apartment that contains a double bedroom and living area with large desk space for working and two single beds and has a fully equipped kitchenette and shower room downstairs.
Residents have access to equipment and tools that are in the Guesthouse a sound system, PA, mics, mixing desk, lighting equipment, tripod and basic hand tools.
Cork city is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland located on the south coast of the island. The city is located on the river Lee, a river estuary and at the mouth of a natural harbour facilitating commercial, industrial, military and recreational facilities. Transport to Cork is serviced by an airport, train and bus service. The Guesthouse is located on a quite residential street in the historic quarter of Shandon and in recent years has been the residential and retail home to a growing multicultural community.