Overview
dlr Arts Office, in partnership with dlr Libraries, is delighted to launch a new digital arts commission based at the new Stillorgan Library which will open
in 2026.
Digital technology has transformed how we communicate, learn, work, connect and create. Today, our libraries offer a range of digital tools and resources that support learning and creativity. Through this commission, the artist will strengthen the library’s role as a cultural and creative hub for the local community.
We invite proposals from artists to spend a 12-month period engaging with the library, its users and the wider community to explore the creative potential of digital technologies. The budget for the commission is €40,000.
The commission is part of dlr’s Public Arts Programme, The Story We Tell Tomorrow, funded through the Per Cent for Art Scheme. The programme encourages artists and communities to explore:
- What do we want tomorrow to look like?
- What are the histories we remember?
- How will the choices we make today - how we treat each other, how we use technology, how we look after our communities and our neighbourhoods - shape the stories people tell in the future?
It’s a call to use our ideas, creativity and actions to help make that future a positive one.
What the Commission involves
The artist(s) will spend 12 months interacting with the library, its users and the wider community. During this time they will organise a series of activities at the library that:
- engage people of all ages
- help the public to access and understand creative digital technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, animation, artificial intelligence and creative coding
- give people a chance to share their ideas and experiences
- lead to the creation of digital artwork(s) about the story we tell tomorrow to be shared and launched with the support of dlr Arts Office and dlr Libraries.
The artist is expected to deliver a minimum of 10 public, on-site activities, such as workshops or drop-in sessions, over the period of the commission.
Artists should make sure their activities are accessible to a wide range of people. While the project should include all age groups, we are especially interested in engaging young people aged 12 to 18.
The commission will begin in October 2026 and run for 12 consecutive months. The exact start date may need to be adjusted depending on when building works at the library are completed.
We encourage applicants to consider the environmental impact of their practice as part of their proposals, in support of the Council’s Climate Action objectives. The Creative Climate Tools from Julie’s Bicycle may be a useful resource.
Background information
As set out in the dlr
Library Development Plan 2022-2026, the mission of dlr Libraries is to provide free, accessible, inclusive, and quality library services to facilitate learning and fulfil the potential of our diverse and changing communities.
Our libraries are safe and trusted gathering spaces, providing free access to literacy, knowledge, learning and information.
While Stillorgan has had a public library since the 1970s, the new Stillorgan Library opening in 2026 will provide an expanded service to the local community. The new building will span two floors and include a dedicated children’s area, as well as spaces for events and exhibitions.
The library is part of a wider development led by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council that includes a new housing scheme and an enhanced public realm on a site next to the N11 dual carriageway. This video shows an aerial view of the development, taken in September 2025.
Stillorgan is an established residential suburb in south county Dublin with a population of over 18,000. The birthplace of the portrait painter and war artist William Orpen, it is known for several ‘firsts’ in the last century: the first bowling alley in the country opened there in 1963, followed by Ireland’s first shopping centre in 1966. The old village of Stillorgan was bypassed by the building of the N11 road in the 1970s.
What we offer
Budget
A budget of €40,000 (inclusive of VAT) to cover:
- Artist fees: payment for your time and those of any collaborators to
- develop and deliver activities and create new artworks.
- Public engagement activities: costs such as materials, equipment hire,
- accessibility needs and printing.
- The production and sharing of new artworks. Equipment costs should not
- make up a large portion of your budget.
- Technical costs: any specialist technical support or resources required to
- develop or present new artworks.
- Transport / travel costs, except for international travel. Transport costs
- should not make up a large portion of your budget.
- Public Liability Insurance: see the Terms and Conditions in Appendix one
- for details.
- Contingency: We recommend that you set aside 5% of your budget for
- unexpected costs.
Spaces
The new Stillorgan Library will offer several bookable spaces that the artist may use for activities at no cost. These must be arranged in advance with the Library team and will depend on availability. These are:
- A flexible event space for workshops, talks and other creative activities
- A small exhibition space
- A self-contained meeting room.
We are unable to offer a dedicated studio or production space on site as the library will be in constant public use.
Digital Equipment and Tools
Users of the library can access computers, laptops and tablets on site. Dlr Libraries also have
two 3D printers: at Ballyogan Library and dlr LexIcon in Dún Laoghaire. Other available tools include Virtual Reality (VR) headsets and
Tovertafel, an interactive games system that supports play for those with cognitive challenges.
Collections and Archives
The artist will benefit from access to the dlr Libraries’ collection and archives, including the
Local Studies Collection based at the LexIcon.
Community Networks
dlr Arts Office and Libraries will support the artist to connect with local community groups and library users and with the promotion of activities.
Who can apply
This is an opportunity for professional artists who have extensive experience in the use of emerging media and digital art, but may also work in other
mediums.
Artists should also:
- Have experience of facilitating or working collaboratively with community groups.
- Be enthusiastic about creative learning, inclusivity, and public engagement.
- Demonstrate strong communication skills and willingness to adapt for multi-age audiences.
- Be able to work independently and reliably to sustain a year-long creative project.
The artist does not have to live in or be from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County but they will need to make regular visits to Stillorgan Library and the surrounding area. These times can be agreed once the artist is in place. Artist(s) should be eligible to work in the Republic of Ireland.
Two or more artists working together may apply as a team/collective, but the overall budget must cover all collaborators.
We welcome applicants who represent the diversity of Irish society. We encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of your gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community, or socio-economic background.
How to apply
Applications should be made online via
Submit.* You will have to create an account if you don't already have one.
The deadline for applications is Tuesday 12 May, 2026 at 2:00pm.
*If you have any trouble with the online application or have any access needs, please contact us for assistance. You can do this by email at
arts@dlrcoco.ie or telephone on (01) 236 27 59.
Please allow time for answering each question and uploading your supporting information and do not start making your application very close to the deadline. We will ask you to tell us about your previous work and your ideas for the commission. You will need to upload digital files that give more details about your work. This will include your CV and examples of your work.
We will ask you about:
Your vision for the residency
Tell us about why you are interested in this opportunity and what you would do with it. We want to know about the ideas you will explore and the kind of activities you propose to deliver. Please also consider what the legacy of the residency might be for the library and its users.
max. 1000 words
Your relevant experience
Tell us about your artistic practice and relevant experience, including where you have self-directed a creative project. Artists should demonstrate their ability to engage with public audiences.
max. 700 words
Your proposed timeline
Show us how you would allocate your time over the 12 months, with an outline programme of work or phases of development. Please provide an estimate of how many days you would spend on (1) research and development (2) public engagement activities and (3) creation of artwork(s).
Your Budget
Tell us about how you would allocate the budget to cover your time and other costs such as those for activities, materials, insurance and travel. The budget
should be detailed and provide us with a clear picture of how you will allocate your time and resources for the duration of the commission.
Supporting information
We will ask you to upload the following documents and files:
- Your CV, in .doc or .pdf format
- A letter of recommendation related to your arts practice from a previous project
- A minimum of three examples of previous work that are relevant to this commission opportunity. These can be shared as image or video files, weblinks or documents.
How we will select the artist
This is a one-stage, open competition and there is funding for one project under this opportunity.
Applications will be assessed by a panel comprised of a member of the dlr Arts Office, dlr Libraries and two external art professionals with relevant expertise.
The panel will assess each application using the scoring system outlined in the next section. If necessary, the panel may contact you to clarify information you have provided. The decision of the selection panel will be final.
Scoring System
Each application will be scored out of a total of 100 marks. Only applications that receive 80 marks or more will be shortlisted for the commission and the highest scoring applicant will be offered the commission.
If no applicant achieves the minimum shortlisting mark of 80, we will not choose a proposal and we will use a different selection process instead.
Scoring Matrix
Quality of Idea
We will assess the originality and artistic strength of the proposal, how you propose to connect with the public and how well your vision for the residency aligns with theprogramme theme and the local context.
40 marks
Previous Experience
We will evaluate the applicant’s track record as an artist, including community‑engaged practice and digital technology skills. Scored based on relevant experience, CV, examples of previous work, and recommendation.
30 marks
Feasibility of Proposal
We will review how realistic and deliverable the proposal is within the timeframe, budget, resources, and constraints. Also considers the applicant’s capacity to deliver a project of this scale based on their experience.
30 marks
Total: 100
What happens if you are selected
If you are selected for the residency, the Arts Office will issue you a letter of agreement between you and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
This letter will outline the commission timeline, the payment schedule for the commission award and the responsibilities of the artist and the commissioner (dlr Arts Office).
During the period of the residency, the artist will be supported by the Public Arts Co-ordinator, who will be the key point of contact, as well as by local library staff.
Key Dates
Deadline for applications | 12 May 2026 at 2:00pm
Panel meeting | week of 25 May 2026
Artists informed | by 12 June 2026
Terms and Conditions
Insurance
We must make sure that any external person or company working with us on a project has insurance cover in place. If you are selected, you will need to have Public Liability Insurance in place up to a limit of €6.5 million. Public Liability Insurance covers your legal liability to pay damages to members of the public for injury, loss, or damages, which occur because of your activities. The insurance policy must indemnify (cover) Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
If you employ another person to work with you, you will also need Employers Liability Insurance to a limit of €13 million (this will only be needed if the person working with you does not have an insurance policy of their own). These are standard insurance policies and several companies in Ireland provide them for artistic activities.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2014 applies to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. This Act gives people the right to request information held by public authorities and the right to have personal information held about them corrected or updated where the information is incomplete, incorrect, or misleading.
If you feel that any of the information you submit as part of your application is confidential or sensitive, you should let dlr Arts Office know. You must clearly state why you think the information is confidential or commercially sensitive, and why it should not be released as part of a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Data protection laws mean that your personal data should generally only be stored where there is a lawful basis, such as your consent, or where there is a legal obligation. Any information you provide for this application will be held for one year from the date you submit it and will only remain in the ownership of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office. We will only use the information you give in your application to administer the Public Arts Commission, including the selection process which will include external panel members who will read your application.
You may withdraw your consent for us to keep your application information at any time by sending an email to
arts@dlrcoco.ie.