Petition to establish Academy of Fine Arts in the GPO nears signature goal

Eva Osborne

A campaign seeking to establish an Academy of Fine Arts in the GPO on O’Connell Street in Dublin is nearing its signature goal.

Launched by Alan Clarke, the campaign argues that the proposal is not only for the creation of a new educational institution, but also to "catalyse the renewal of O’Connell Street".

Addressed to Micheál Martin, Simon Harris, Dublin City Council, An Post, Fianna Fáil, and Fine Gael, the petition currently has over 1,500 signatures on its journey towards 2,000.

Clarke said that the establishment of an Academy of Fine Arts will provide three profound and tangible benefits of enduring value for Ireland.

The first of which concerns O'Connell Street itself, which Clarke said will be transformed into a "vibrant centre of learning, culture, and civic pride".

"In doing so, it will act as a catalyst for the renewal of that part north inner city—an area that has suffered years of neglect."

The second proposed benefit is the redefinition of art education in Ireland, as it seeks to offer an alternative model rooted in "fundamental transferrable skills, the principles of beauty, and the cultivation original thought".

"This skills-led approach will provide a more comprehensive and balanced education than that currently available in our existing fine art colleges."

Finally, Clarke claims that the establishment of an Academy of Fine Arts in the GPO would give Ireland an institution that will "stand as a symbol of our national pride and our national identity".

It will enable Ireland to take its "rightful place" among the great nations of Europe, he added.