The former red-light district immortalised by James Joyce is likely to become better known for its arts credentials as Liberty Corner opens its doors. Catherine Foley reports

The newly developed Liberty Corner building, which is viewed as vital to the rejuvenation of Dublin's north-east inner city, is ready to open its doors to the public in two weeks. Located just off Talbot Street, at the corner of Foley Street and James Joyce Street, the gleaming municipal development which comprises a five-storey arts centre and a four-storey dance centre could become a jewel in the crown of the area. In time it is hoped it will become a kind of Mecca for artists and choreographers.

"It's got a heart already," says Jack Gilligan, Dublin City Council's arts officer, who is preparing to manage and programme the new arts side of the building. Meanwhile, a manager for the six-studio dance centre is being selected.

Within the city council, Gilligan, with his team in the Arts Office, has been responsible for developing and promoting artistic and cultural activities in the city for more than a decade. The successful Dublin Writers' Festival and the summertime Opera in the Open season are the council's headlining activities, but the Arts Office is also responsible for community and youth arts programmes, training and education projects and a range of arts residencies, which will all be covered this year by its budget of €405,000.

Now Liberty Corner will enable Dublin City Council to deliver a much better arts service than has been possible before, says Gilligan. It has cost close to €6 million to develop.

"My heart lifts when I come around the corner," he adds. "I want this building to become a home for artists, where they will feel welcome and drop in and meet each other and see it as a place where information can be exchanged and where they can access information which will be of benefit to them.The most exciting thing is that this will enable us to give a better arts service to the people of Dublin."

Although some might question the need for such a large dance resource, Gilligan believes there will be "considerable demand" for the centre, which looks out on Foley Park.

With six dance studios, all fitted with sprung floors, ranging in size from 51 square metres to 189 square metres, it will be a national resource, says Gilligan. He adds that it will provide vital rehearsal space to theatre companies, "especially those whose work is of a physical nature . . . Rehearsal space is very scare in the city".

The intention is that the adjoining arts centre, with exhibition space, offices and four large workshop/rehearsal rooms, will allow the Arts Office to collaborate with others to develop new work and find imaginative ways of bringing that work to public attention.

"Sometimes experimental or developmental work is abandoned by the artist due to lack of any support system," says Gilligan. "I hope we will be able to support exciting ideas by providing the artist with the time and space required for their realisation."

Finding property in the city which is suitable for a more comprehensive arts service to Dubliners is an ongoing process, says Gilligan. The development of the Red Stable Studios on the grounds of St Anne's Park in Raheny is a further example of what is in the pipeline.

The stables are being transformed into artists' and craft-workers' studios which are likely to be ready for use by June.

"The bottom line is that I passionately believe that the people of Dublin deserve a proper arts service like they deserve a proper housing service or health service. They overlap and complement each other," says Gilligan. "Everything I do is about getting the artists out to the wider audience." As he looks up through the corner space at the entrance to Liberty Corner's arts centre which stretches from the ground floor up through two levels, he reflects that the location is totally accessible.

According to Peter Kable, project architect with Horan Keogan Ryan Architects, one of the key issues in the design of Liberty Corner was "to make it visible from the street" and equally important was "to create a variety of views" from within and from outside the building.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, double-height room spaces and glass balconies all feature in the building which is designed by the Horan Keogan Ryan team, headed up by David King-Smith.

In line with the growing trend of having public-private partnerships (PPPs) develop spaces that include culture-related elements, Liberty Corner is a PPP enterprise with backing from the Arts Council (more than €1.3 million) and the Department of Arts, Sports and Culture (more than €2.78 million) along with McCabe Builders. The development includes 62 apartments, a creche and enterprise units.

Kable says, "A lot of care has been put into the functional qualities of the space, such as lighting and the acoustics . . . It's meant to be a landmark building for the regeneration of this area."

The area around Liberty Corner was known at the start of the 20th century as the red-light district of Monto which features in James Joyce's Ulysses.

Now the corner bordered by narrow cobbled streets and the adjoining park has been reclaimed, and it lends the area an old-world Parisian feel.

From inside, there are interesting views of the city, the most spectacular from the third-storey of the centre, facing the IFSC and Connolly Station. And the building's glass frontage will ensure that people living and working in the area will be able to look in and see dancers rehearsing, adds Kable.

Being accessible and inviting is all part of the plan, says Gilligan. "It's all about the audience," he says. "Artists create the work - we have to find ways of bringing the public into meaningful contact with the work of the artist."

For further information about Liberty Corner, contact 01-6713639