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Keep Outhouse Open
Image courtesy of artist Thelma Mansfield
Outhouse is delighted to announce their inaugural online fundraising event, Arthouse - a live and online contemporary art auction, offering an exciting and eclectic collection of artworks by established Irish based artists.
All artworks are donated in a collective effort to raise much needed
funds to sustain Outhouse as a safe space for the LGBT+ community and
allies.
Arthouse is showcasing a diverse range of affordable and investment
artworks including original paintings, limited edition prints and
sculpture. Arthouse is not possible without the unyielding support of
the Irish artistic community. Their generous donations are an incredible
gesture during such uncertain times for both communities. Collectable
artworks by renowned artists such as Leah Hewson, Martin McCann, Thelma
Mansfield and Cian McLoughlin will be up for auction in addition to many
more covetable works.
After weathering over a decade of austere funding cuts due to the 2008
recession, the artistic community is once again facing an insecure
future. Arthouse Online Art Auction will offer the opportunity for all
contributing artists to avail of 50 percent of the hammer price for
their respective artworks. Artists have the option to pledge 100 percent
of the hammer price to Outhouse. Our core belief is that we must all
rally together and support one another during these precarious times.
Like many other community centres and businesses during the COVID-19
pandemic, Outhouse closed the doors to our building on March 12, in line
with Government recommendations. In an instant all the income from our
social enterprise ceased completely and it has been near zero ever since
as we have had minimum opportunity to keep the centre open.
For every month that Outhouse remains closed we lose significant income.
The vast majority of this income pays the costs associated with running
our centre, some of which keep coming in whether or not the centre is
open.
In June 1997 Outhouse opened its doors for the first time on South
William Street, and in May 2001 we moved to 105 Capel Street. When
Outhouse opened at South William Street, the NLGF/GCN was a core tenant
that contributed to its quickly becoming a thriving community hub, with a
rapid increase in community groups and individual users. Many groups
were formed and fostered in Outhouse, some of which, like TENI and
BeLonG To, have become significant advocacy forces in Ireland. Making a
real difference at the individual level is what has inspired and
motivated the many volunteers and staff over the years. Our central
principles of elevating diversity, community, inclusion and respect are
alive within our walls.
52,450 people used our centre in 2019, demonstrating that it is a vital
service to the LGBT+ community providing a ‘safe space’ for people to
meet, build friendships, and develop support networks and interest
groups within a stated and practiced ethos of respect.
Thankfully, the centre receives some funding from the HSE and Pobal to
pay staff costs, which has been of great assistance, especially in these
trying times. However, Outhouse normally runs on a social enterprise
model which also receives income from the successful Café and Venue,
which covers every other cost associated with our running. For these
reasons we have never had to run a substantial fundraising campaign for
the centre. We have never had to go to our community and ask for their
financial support.
Outhouse Staff and Board are doing everything we can to Keep Outhouse
Open for our community. However this is just the first step in a long
battle for us. Our income will continue to be decimated even if Outhouse
does reopen, as reopening in line with National Public Health Advice
and social distancing will severely affect what income we can generate.
The ability of our centre to operate at full capacity with three meeting
spaces, a full café, signposting service, six offices all active at one
time with a few hundred members of our community in one safe space is
some way off in the future.
Reopening will bring increased costs for us with minimal income to
offset these costs. However we are determined to do this. We will take
every step possible to reopen the doors to Outhouse and keep them open
but we will need your help. For the first time in 24 years we are
directly asking you, our community for help.
We welcome all practicing LGBT+ artists and
allies to be part of Arthouse, please email artauction@outhouse.ie for
further information.
The Arthouse auction will take place the weekend of November 7 and 8, 2020.
Arthouse Online Art Auction will be available on
the Invaluable live bidding auction platform. In order to view or bid
in this auction please visit
www.invaluable.com