R A P

The Real Art Project (RAP) a Limerick-based artist-run organisation, was established in May 1996 by artists concerned with the lack of opportunities to create and present work in the Mid-West. The aim of the group, which featured emerging graduates as well as tutors from Limerick School of Art, was to create new opportunities for both emerging and established artists through the provision of a studio space as well as an exciting exhibition and events progress.

While in the beginning the voluntary committee met in Flannery’s pub on Catherine Street, they soon acquired an office space in the Belltable Arts Centre, and one of the founder members took up the position of Administrator on a CE scheme with the Belltable. With this position came an office space to be used as a base for the group’s activities. From this hub, a range of events and activities were conceived, planned and presented, each time utilising alternative spaces as appropriate to the particular task in hand.

Time-based events featured strongly in the programming and included Infusion–National Review of Live Art, an annual Live Art Festival featuring local, national and international artists, which ran from 1997 to 2000. Eject, a video art event, was staged three times, moving from the basement of The White House pub on O’Connell Street to Dolans Warehouse in 2000 where it was hosted by Stef and Nige of Channel 4’s Vidz fame.

RAP was a membership organisation. Members paid a yearly subscription and in return could include work in members’ shows, avail of the discount scheme, receive the group’s newsletter NewsRAP and get involved in the running of the organisations activities. At it’s peak, RAP had over eighty members from a variety of backgrounds. The Voluntary Committee consisted of members which undertook the running of the organisation, and which divided into sub-committees for tasks such as fundraising or organising particular events.

Contact Studios were set up in 1997 in a unique partnership with Mid-Western Healthboard whereby RAP members availed of free studio space in exchange for carrying out workshops with clients of the Healthboard’s day care centres in the City. This unique barter arrangement has continued to 2007.

Support from the Arts Council came firstly in the form of Projects funding for Infusion, as well as a small Capital Grant. Further applications resulted in support for projects such as The Sound Art Album in the World..Ever! and Eject III and increased Capital Grants. These enabled the organisation to purchase computers, projector, stills camera and video camera, photocopier etc, all of which were used in the running of the organisation and available for members use. A small revenue grant was granted by the Arts Council in 2000. The organisation also relied on support from Limerick Corporation as well as sponsorship-in-kind from a variety of sources.

It was at this time that RAP moved from it’s office space in the Belltable Arts Centre, which it had shared with Limerick Youth Theatre and The Fresh Film Festival, into the second and third floor of a premises on 58 Mary Street, achieving it’s aim of establishing a dedicated projects space. Up to this time, the projects and events program was presented in various different venues and locations as appropriate to the event – eg: Listening posts in HMV presented The Greatest Sound Art Album in the World… Ever!

Real ArtSpace was an exciting departure for the organisation as it now had the potential of programming year round projects within a dedicated space. The inaugural show in Real ArtSpace was curated by Catsou Roberts from the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol. This show of international video art, which featured a number of Irish artists, was entitled Vague but True.

While time-based events had been the main focus of the groups programming, a large number of painters had at this point become members of RAP and subsequently involved in the running of the organisation. Stretch, the first members painting show was presented in 2000. For the first time Contact Studios was at full capacity, supporting the practises of a large number of mostly recent graduates.

In 2001, due to a number of factors including planning restrictions and an inability to fill the CE scheme positions of Administrator and Projects Co-Ordinator, it was no longer viable to undertake the running of Real ArtSpace. The office space moved to the Limerick Corporation artists’ studios on James Street, but soon after the organisation ceased running under the name the Real Art Project. Contact Studios, however, continue to operate on the same barter system basis and continues to be involved in mounting shows and events. 

Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert, May 2007