The LAB

The LAB was established by Dublin City Council in 2005 as a municipal arts hub, housing gallery, rehearsal and incubation spaces for a range of art forms. The LAB Gallery supports emerging art practices and delivers a year round programme of free events for all ages.  In addition to Dublin City Council, the LAB Gallery is supported by the Arts Council.

Exhibitions are selected from proposals and by direct invitation usually eighteen months in advance. They actively encourage collaboration across art forms and work with artists who are motivated by a strong line of enquiry.  In line with the Dublin City Council Arts Plan, their focus is on working with artists at critical points in the development of their practice, providing a first solo show or an opportunity for a more established artist to try out something new for example.  Artists such as Vera Klute, Lee Welch and Bea McMahon had their first solo shows at the LAB. They also commission new writing with every exhibition and develop carefully curated events and education programmes to provide spaces to look closer, share, enjoy, play, chat, experiment and critically debate art and the ideas inherent in the exhibitions.