The Buildings
Cultural Buildings
National Sculpture Factory
Contact Details
| Address | Albert Road, Cork City. |
| Telephone | 021 4314353 |
| Opening Hours | 11 a.m - 4.30 p.m. |
Built c. 1900, this six-bay, double height electricity generating station is now the site of the National Sculpture Factory.
The National Sculpture Factory workshops, today occupy, what were formerly the headquarters of the E.S.B. and before that, the Albert Road Power House.The Old Power House was a large complex, which maintained, repaired and housed trams at night. In about 1925, the name of the company was changed to The Cork Electric Supply Co. Ltd. The closure of the tramways in 1931 and the coming of the E.S.B. had a huge impact on the Albert Road depot. Many of the ex-tram staff were taken over by the Irish Omnibus Company and others went to work in the E.S.B.
The National Sculpture Factory was set up in 1989 by four local artists as a response to a need from artists for a large scale well equipped studio space where they could work. The National Sculpture Factory is a national organization, dedicated to artists, which advances the creation and understanding of contemporary art. Specifically, it provides and promotes a supportive environment for the making of art, opportunities for commissioning new works, collaborations, residencies and other artistic interventions. Its objectives include supporting the individual vision of artists, fostering partnerships and creating international opportunities for artists, acting as a flexible catalyst for ideas and raising awareness and debate about visual culture and acting as a practical resource to artists and others involved in making art public.
This building has an important connection with the industrial history of the city, as an electricity generating station and tram-house and is of continuing cultural significance through its use as the National Sculpture Factory.