Dublin creatives FLUX recently celebrated their first year in their Chatham Row flagship premises. We spoke to those involved about the importance of community and camaraderie.
In a city where rising rents and limited space continue to push artists to the margins, FLUX has emerged as a beacon for Dublin’s creative community. Located in the heart of the city on Chatham Row, FLUX opened its doors one year ago with a simple but powerful idea: to provide accessible, long-term studio space for artists, designers, musicians, and collectives to thrive. Supported by Dublin City Council, the project breathes new life into a formerly underused building, transforming it into a vibrant, collaborative hub for over 90 creatives.
What sets FLUX apart is not just the space itself, but the philosophy that underpins it. Rooted in community-building and grassroots culture, FLUX is as much about creating connections as it is about making art. From hosting Culture Night blowouts to giving a home to collectives like Dublin Digital Radio and Dublin Print Club, the space is a microcosm of the energy and diversity that fuels Dublin’s independent arts scene.
As the studio approached its first anniversary this September, we sat down with Chris Cullen, one of the driving forces behind FLUX to reflect on what the past year has meant, the challenges of sustaining creative space in a volatile property market, and what’s next for this ever- growing community. From dreams of a front-yard coffee shop to becoming a model for future cultural spaces across the city, FLUX is proving what’s possible when creativity is given the room—and support—to grow.
You opened the new Chatham Row space one year ago—what were your hopes at the start, and how has the reality matched up?
The location really is just a dream, and it has everything you could want in a great studio space. We hoped that we could both feed off and contribute to the energy of the city, and that’s exactly how it has panned out.
Our studio family and the local community have really bought into what we are trying to do here, and we’re really grateful for that.
I wanted it to be a place for bringing people together and community building outside of the commercial spaces we are used to in the city center, and every day I see vindication that we are onto something special here.
How has the FLUX community evolved since you moved into Chatham Row? Have there been any standout moments or milestones?
Culture Night 2024 last September was our official launch event, and having close to 2000 people come through the doors that night was an incredible milestone. Seeing our studio members and collectives such as Dublin Digital Radio and Dublin Print Club grow into their respective spaces has been special too.
The studio is now home to over 90 creatives and collectives—how do you foster collaboration and a sense of community among such a diverse group?
There is a real magic in having all these different perspectives under one roof, and it is our job to blend it together as best we can. Individual work spaces need to be complemented with larger communal spaces, where people feel comfortable to mingle and collaborate. We schedule lots of social events too, both for studio members and the public, and these are key to community building.
FLUX is rooted in the idea of providing affordable, long-term creative space in Dublin. What are the biggest challenges to making that sustainable?
Rents. We have a cruel, market driven system of property value in this country which will stamp out cultural spaces one by one if we just let it do its thing unchecked, and this is the story of Dublin for the past two decades. The arrangement we have at Chatham Row is supported by Dublin City Council, and interventions like this are necessary to mitigate the challenges of the property dynamics in this city.
I feel a real responsibility to make this work as I want this to act as a template for other vacant, state owned buildings – a rare good news story for grassroots arts in the city might have a positive ripple effect that others can run with.
Looking ahead to the next year (and beyond), what’s on the horizon for FLUX? Any dreams, plans, or potential new ventures you can share?
We have got a feel for the building now and can see its potential, so we have lots of big plans for the next few years. We hope to have a coffee shop out front and turn the front yard into an area for people to enjoy, and start an art and design shop in the lobby for our studio members to display their work. More markets, more gigs, more dogs… more class stuff for the city.
FLUX Studios was established in June 2022 to continue BLOCK T’s decade long mission as a grassroots cultural organisation providing quality, affordable studio workspace to Dublin’s creative community. They currently manage 2 buildings in Dublin’s inner city, with bases at the Digital Hub campus on Thomas St in Dublin 8 and their new flagship building at 4 Chatham Row in Dublin 2.
Words: Mia Grabow & Kaavya Butaney
Photographs: Killian Broderick
4 Chatham Row
D02PA06
FLUX Dublin 8
The Digital Hub,
Roe Lane,
D08TCV4
Unique Markets @ Flux
This year Unique Markets are back at Flux Studios for their annual Christmas Pop Up Market. They have 25 unique Irish vendors, with hand crafted goodies for the perfect Christmas gift.
Award winning stalls included are Oxmantown Skincare, a natural, ethical & environmentally friendly skincare company based in Stoneybatter and Sandia Dublin with her super light, bold design jewellry. There will also be vinyl records, vintage clothing and lots of other stocking filler stalls.
The market runs from Wednesday the 17th until Sunday the 21st of December. This is the perfect opportunity to pick your last minute, locally made Christmas gifts all under one roof.
Check out @uniquemarketsdublin on Insta for more details.
