Cork must step up for future of dance

It’s time to boogie for the people of Cork as a call goes out to support the future of dance on Leeside.

The call comes in the form of a renewed drive for sign-ups to the Friends of Firkin Crane membership scheme, with annual memberships starting from €50.

The appeal aims to bolster ongoing investment in Dance Cork Firkin Crane as it looks ahead to an ambitious new phase of development.

Housed in the iconic Firkin Crane building, the organisation is Ireland’s first dedicated dance house. The building was secured as a future home for dance in 1979 and, though destroyed by fire 1980, was rebuilt through a public trust chaired by former Taoiseach Jack Lynch and officially reopened in 1992.

While recent investment has strengthened the building and secured its ongoing use, Dance Cork Firkin Crane continues to face the realities of maintenance alongside delivering a national programme of work. The Friends scheme is now central to ensuring that this work can continue.

Executive artistic director, Laurie Uprichard, said: “The Firkin Crane has always been sustained through a combination of public support, artistic ambition, and community belief. Becoming a Friend is one of the most meaningful ways people can be part of that story.”

For more information about becoming a Friend of Dance Cork Firkin Crane, visit dancecorkfirkincrane.ie or contact Box Office Manager Andrea at andrea@firkincrane.ie or phone 021 4507487.