projects

OUR MISSION THE BUILDING RESIDENCY STUDIOS RECYCLE / REPURPOSE BUNKER STUDIO / SOUND LAB DIVERSITY NEURODIVERSITY

Our Mission:

Shandon Studios was founded in October 2023 by a group of committed community activists and artists to create a vibrant and diverse art community in Cork city, with affordable studio spaces in an old bakery. We are a Not-for-profit CLG.

We have created nine studio spaces for visual artists and a dedicated sound studio space for interdisciplinary artists requiring sound and recording facilities. 

Due to the recent closure of established artist studios in Cork, there is a severe shortage of affordable space. We aim to offer more studio spaces as we renovate and upgrade the facilities in our building.

We created an Artists In Residence programme for collaborative and project development to encourage artistic, cultural and diversity exchange.  

Residencies are short term ranging from one to three months. We also have a large space which is available for bespoke and collaborative events. 

We aim to increase our community’s access and participation to the arts via our programme of events and workshops in the wider community. 

Integrated communities and voluntary groups promote good civic participation in the life of the city, and diverse communities engaging in Art & Culture together make for a healthier, happier city.

We are particularly engaged with the needs of marginalised communities and older people, promoting their inclusion and contribution in all areas of life and responding with sensitivity to their special needs. 


Donations: it all helps
Residency Studio Drawing by Lisa Bafagih
Residency Studio Drawing by Lisa Bafagih

Our building though far from perfect has huge potential to be a pivotal vibrant artistic hub in the centre of the historical Shandon area

A former bakery it has been the home and birthplace for many community and artistic organisations, Cork Community Art Link began their journey here as did Camden Palace Hotel and the Dragon of Shandon 

Our challenges are many and we are slowly working as a team to transform the space. As we upgrade the facilities we will be making more studios and community spaces available. As we clear the spaces we have recycled  and repurposed as much as possible 


ARTIST RESIDENCIES: 

Our artist residencies provide studio space / recording facilities, artistic and technical support for artists working in any discipline. These residencies offer a valuable platform for emerging, mid-career, and established artists. 

We have a specific residency for artists from marginalised communities  

Our vision is that our residency program will bring critically engaging contemporary artwork and ideas to expand our community.

We are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for artists to explore and challenge new ideas, facilitating individual research and interdisciplinary exchange.

RECYCLE / REPURPOSE

At Shandon Studios, we are dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact by adhering to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. We actively seek ways to reduce our consumption of resources, encouraging efficient and sustainable practices across all facets of our group. Through thoughtful reuse of materials and the implementation of recycling, we aim to contribute to a healthier planet and inspire positive change. Together, we make a conscious effort to protect our environment for future generations by embracing the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mindset.

“We may never reach the ZERO in Zero Waste, but that’s no reason to take ZERO action.”
-Anne-Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef

Bunker Studio / Sound Lab:

A recording studio with an ethos of warmth in sound and environment led by John Dwyer of Bunker Vinyl & Shannon Bowman of Xeropulse Media

New and vintage equipment will be available to use under the supervision of our resident engineer.

Creating an affordable professional space for bands to record that 1st demo or album, fostering talent in a professional recording enviroment with mentoring from a core group of sound designers and electronic musicians. 


Diversity 

We prioritize equal opportunity and strive to create an open, inclusive environment for all to flourish. Diversity is integral to creative thinking, and our collective values talent irrespective of race, nationality, gender identity, religion, or socioeconomic background. Our mission is to build a studio as diverse as the world we serve, ensuring everyone has an equal seat at the table in creativity and art.

We actively respond to community needs, fostering an inclusive and diverse work culture that champions equality. Our commitment extends to creating both safe and brave spaces—safe spaces for building trust and community and brave spaces where honest, critical dialogue flourishes, addressing challenging topics such as race, power, privilege, and oppression.

At Shandon Studios, we believe diversity and inclusion are vital to a vibrant learning and growth community. We are actively engaged in initiatives like creating resource groups to manifest our commitment to these values. Together, we’ll redefine what’s possible in the creative world and beyond.

Neurodiversity: 

Shandon Studios supports places where people with different brains can succeed, understanding they have different needs.
Social Fairness:
We aim to stop stigma, promote acceptance, and give equal opportunities to everyone.Neurodiversity means that differences in how brains work and behave are normal and natural, not problems. It includes many brain differences like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. This idea says there is no single “normal” way for brains to work, but many ways people experience the world.

Brain functions vary naturally, like how people have different heights or eye colors.
We see brain differences as strengths and unique ways of thinking, not as disorders. They can become our ” Super Powers” – preprogrammed to think outside the box as it were.

Why neurodiversity matters:
Builds understanding and acceptance:
Helps people see and value different ways brains work.
Fights stigma and unfair treatment:
By seeing differences as natural, it reduces negative views and supports inclusion.
Sparks creativity and new ideas:
People with different brains often think in unique ways that help solve problems.
Creates a kinder, fairer society:
Encourages making places that support and welcome everyone’s needs.

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.”
-Pablo Picasso

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
—William Butler (WB) Yeats

Secret Link