The Re-Development of the Royal Hibernian Academy

The Academy will close its doors in November to undergo an exciting and dynamic refurbishment. This is the third occasion on the Ely Place site where the Academy has taken an important step. The first was in the early seventies when the original construction was undertaken from the designs of Raymond McGrath RHA under the patronage of Matt Gallagher. Then, nearly twenty years on, that construction was finally roofed and partially completed under the leadership of Thomas Ryan PPRHA. The period of the late eighties was one of the most difficult of economic times in modern Ireland and resources were scarce. It is a tribute to that generation that enough public and private money was garnered to offer Dublin the best visual arts space in the city.

The Academy is now launching an upgrading and development of our building. We are going to create a 21st Century facility for the artist, the public and the art itself.

For the artist we are building a new studio complex on the rear roof of our building. At over 9000sq ft, it will house three group studios, four individual studios, a reference library, common room and administration office. The studios will be aimed at younger or emerging artists that wish to develop their skills in drawing and painting. These artists will be mentored by professional artists in technical and professional techniques. Though the Academicians will lead this studio programme we will also garner other artists from a wide range of backgrounds. The studios will act as a crucible for the continuance of traditional methods and techniques in drawing and oil painting.

The public face and use of the Academy will undergo the most dramatic changes. The building’s façade will be refaced with white stone, its footpath level windows moved out to the building’s edge. This new façade will provide a more obvious and attractive street presence and the addition of lighting and signage will make the building a beacon at night time.

A new café will run the length of the building operated by the Unicorn Restaurant. On the other flank to the new entrance will be a bookshop. The main staircase to the gallery floor will be re-sited in the atrium lit by a large two-storey window wall. This dramatic double height space will become and exciting place for the display of art and for specially commissioned projects.

The ground floor will also contain a new gallery dedicated to the presentation of scholarly exhibitions organized from the Academy’s collection and other public, corporate and private collections. The gallery will allow us to deepen our programme with historical exhibitions complimenting our dedication to living artists in the upper galleries.

The new staircase will also impact upon our main gallery. The removal of the existing staircase will not only improve our reception area but will add about 600 sq. ft of floor space to our marvellous main gallery. It will increase the grandeur and versatility of that room.

In May we received a grant of €1,750,000 from the ACCESS fund at the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism. This amounts to 25% of the cost of the scheme. Now we face the challenge of raising the remaining €5, 250,000. As in the 1970s and the 1980s the Academy must once again turn to its public and its artistic constituency to help realize its dream. To date €3, 250,000 has been committed and we now must raise the remaining €2,000,000. We hope that all of our friends can participate in this great 21st Century campaign.

Patrick T. Murphy RHA Director, November 2007.