Blog

Meet the Artist – Aaron Sunderland

Call in to studio 468 in St Andrew’s Community Centre to find out more about Aaron Sunderland Carey and his collaboration with Rialto Youth Project.

Aaron has been awarded Common Ground’s Collective Futures residency from January – July 2025 in collaboration with Rialto Youth Project.

This collaborative arts process & project, An Uile Dhuine will tackle critical issues facing working-class communities including racism, class conflict & the growing threat & influence of far-right extremism. Through their residency Aaron & Rialto Youth Project seek to create a space for dialogue & collaboration, empowering young voices and promoting solidarity that aims to equip young people with the awareness & tools that fosters a more inclusive & accepting society.

Aaron is a mixed-media & socially engaged artist from Dublin. His multidisciplinary practice—spanning painting, printmaking, and multimedia—amplifies overlooked voices with a particular focus on collaborating with communities in Dublin 8 & explores themes such as public planning, marginalisation, addiction, masculinity, & class. He has worked with Rialto Youth Project on numerous community-based initiatives including contributions to the What Does He Need? Boys in the making exhibition, a major event taking place in NCAD Gallery in January 2025. Aaron has exhibited at Outset Gallery in Galway, Axis Ballymun & NCAD, and he is pursuing an M.A. in Art and Social Action at NCAD.

studio 468 is located in St Andrews Community Centre and programmed by Common Ground in partnership with the Rialto Development Association since 2003. Common Ground receives funding to support artists in studio 468 from the Arts Council and Dublin City Council arts office. Common Ground’s Collective Futures residency awards run from 2024 – 2026. Awardees are: The School of Thought art collective who are artist Augustine O’Donoghue & historian & educator Dr. Conor McCabe (2024), Aaron Sunderland Carey (2025), Clodagh Boyce (2025) & Dylan Tighe (2026).

Traditional Music Session – Circular Bar, Rialto Sunday 22/06/25

Come along and listen to a wonderful afternoon session of Traditional music and song hosted by Mairéad O’ Donnell on fiddle and vocals, multi-instrumentalist Tara Finn on uilleann pipes, concertina and flute and Paddy Buckenham on guitar. Together this trio have a vibrant sound and repertoire which is a delight for the ears.

Sunday, June 22nd, The Other Hand Bar, The Circular Bar, 3pm.

Louder Voices – Songwriting and Mental Health Workshop with Luke Clerkin

In this interactive session, Luke will share his personal journey through music and mental health, offering insights into how creativity can support emotional resilience. Participants will then take part in a collaborative song-writing workshop, co-creating a group piece focused on themes of mental health and wellbeing. The session will also explore mindfulness and journaling techniques as tools to support your ongoing self-care.

NOTE: Please arrive at 1:45pm to be settled in the room in good time

  • Small group, safe space, adults, wheelchair accessible,
  • See @lukeclerkin insta to be in touch
  • Email [email protected] with any general queries

Listen to Luke’s new album here

Tickets can be found at Eventbrite for €12:

Invitation to launch of RCAF25

You are cordially invited to the launch of the Rialto Community Arts Festival Thursday May 8th in The Circular Bar, Rialto, 8pm – 9pm as part of the “Culture Date with Dublin 8” programme.

It will be headed by two talented locals, Chris Connolly (personal trainer/influencer) and songwriter Luke Clerkin will perform from his stunning debut album Orpheus. There will be a variety of performances of spoken word and music to give you just a small taste of what is in store at this exciting, inclusive little festival.

RCAF 2025, which takes place June 19th – 22nd, is promising to be bigger and bolder than last year with a line-up that is a vibrant and eclectic mix of visual arts, film, dance, music performances, comedy and spoken word events. There will be a timetable for a full listing circulated at the launch.

The launch on May 8th and RCAF are the result of an enthusiastic collaboration between local community centres (Fatima Groups United – F2, St. Andrew’s Community Centre and Dolphin House Community Development Association) and passionate locals who all want to see Rialto

Fundraising Night

Come and join us on April 28th, at 8pm in the Circular Pub, as we hold a fundraising table quiz.

All Proceeds go towards ensuring that we’re able to pay artists and performers during the festival, and to ensure that we can put on the best shows possible.

Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/rcafquiz2025 or you can pay on the night. Teams of 4 to 8 people allowed. Cost €10 per person per team.

Press Release

Check out the first ever Rialto Community Arts Festival

This week, Dublin 8 welcomes a new community-driven arts festival. It aims to shine a light on the area’s wealth of talent, which includes poets, musicians, artists and community film-makers.

Centre, the F2 Centre and some local businesses.   There will be poetry event (Viva Palestine), film screenings and art installations where you can check out some of Rialto’s local artists.

Attend the unveiling of a new mural on the D8mens shed or take a look at the freshly painted art on the Fatima Lift Shaft. There will also be musical performances, studio visits and even a Mad Hatter’s Pride Picnic.

For those who want to take part in the creativity, a wide range of workshops will also allow visitors to try their hand at all sorts, from song writing and drama through to gardening and dancing.

“The festival is a testament to the rich cultural fabric of our community,” said Roisin Ryder, Rialto Community Arts Festival Coordinator. “It offers a platform for local talent to showcase their work and for residents to engage with the arts in a meaningful way.”

Highlights include:

– Memory Lane Breakfast: An art and photo exhibition with breakfast from Café Number 44.

– The History of Dolphin’s Barn: A talk by historian Catherine Scuffil.

– New Mural Unveiling: A collaboration with local artist Alan Long.

– Open Studio: Meet theSchool of Thought art collective in Studio 468

– Drama Workshop: Led by Fatima Drama Group.

– Music Events each evening – Marble Hall, Ritz Brothers, Local Performers

– Film Festival Night: Featuring community-made films like “Anima Fatima” and “The Blocks”.

– Summer Solstice Dance Workshop: With award-winning choreographer Mia Di Chiaro.

– Songwriting Workshop: Led by musician Mark Ellison.

Join us in celebrating the rich, cultural heritage of Rialto.

For more information and the full schedule, visit Rialto Community Arts Festival (https://rialtocommunityarts.com) or contact Vawn Corrigan 0894145771  or Roisin Ryder 0876143344

We Have Made Fatima a Better Place To Live – Exhibition

During the Regeneration at Fatima Mansions the social housing was first to be built. The balcony of Gemma McKenna’s new apartment presented the perfect opportunity for photo panoramas of the ongoing build to be recorded from.

Today Gemma has lived and worked in this community for 38 years and this exhibition includes sometimes hard, sometimes fantastic memories from Gemma, accompanied by Chris Maguire’s photographs.   

Women With Balls

A film made by Fatima’s Women’s Education Group.

Based on the stories and history of Fatima Mansions from 1949 to the mid

1990’s

The group engaged in process call Dig Where You Stand, which was a framework designed and used by the Labour History Museum to gather the stories of women employed in the labour force in the early part century.

A wide variety of women from all ages participated and from this process.

The stories were ones of great hardships coming from the Tenements to the hope of a new beginning in the Fatima Mansions- finally families had their own toilet and owned their front door.

One of the stories was of a women’s football team in 1970’s who struggle to get jerseys, football boots and someone to mind the kids.

The women wanted the freedom of doing something for themselves.

Women with Balls is a short fun film loosely based on this story.