A COMMUNITY OF HOPE: ARTISTS FOR DUBLIN SIMON

* updated 11th December 2024

We're very pleased to announce that this year's exceptional Art Auction 'A Community of Hope: Artists for Dublin Simon' brought together over 100 unique pieces from Irish artists and raised in excess of €70,000 with all proceeds going directly to support Dublin Simon Community's life-saving services.

 

We are very proud to be a part of this brilliant initiative and we're thrilled with the auction result for Gerard's Always Sunday painting that reached £7,600 / €9,100 [view auction results]. Thank you for your generosity.

As winter draws near and the homelessness crisis intensifies, Dublin Simon Community is inviting everyone to support its life-saving services through ‘A Community of Hope: Artists for Dublin Simon’. With around 100 unique pieces from renowned Irish artists, there will be a variety of eye-catching artworks up for grabs. 

With homelessness figures continuing to rise—over 10,000 people currently rely on emergency accommodation in Dublin alone—this event offers a unique opportunity for art collectors to acquire one-of-a-kind pieces while making a tangible difference in the lives of those facing homelessness. The auction features a diverse range of visual and audio art, including memorabilia and photography, appealing to a wide array of tastes and interests. Irish icons such as Carol Hodder, Bridgit Flinn, Stephanie Hess, John O’Donnell, Guggi, Imelda May, The Corrs, Tommy Tiernan, Chupi Sweetman, Helen Steele, Margo Banks, Gerard Byrne, Tom Climent and John Noel Smith have all pledged their support by donating pieces to the auction, standing united in their commitment to help the most vulnerable in society.

The Art Auction was initiated by artist John O’Donnell in response to the shocking conditions faced by those living on Dublin’s streets. The inaugural event in 2023 garnered overwhelming support, with over €40,000 raised. This year, with even more people depending on Dublin Simon’s services, the organisation hopes to build on that success.

Phot. Gerard Byrne with Naomi Nicholson and artist John O'Donnell, founder and organiser of A Communnity of Hope: Artists for Dublin Simon  art auction on Sandymount Strand, Dublin, phot. Marc O'Sullivan

Our upcoming Art Auction offers a fantastic opportunity to own a unique piece of art from one of Ireland’s leading artists. Not only this, but you’ll also be helping to fund life-saving services for people experiencing homelessness. The artworks will be available to view online from the 28th of November, so make sure to check them out to see what you could add to your collection.

— Naomi Nicholson, Dublin Simon Community Director of Clinical Governance & Therapeutic Services

Phot. 'Always Sunday' in the making, Sandymount Strand, Dublin 4

On a good day, when the tide is low, Sandymount Strand is a sweeping expanse that gleams against the suburban sun. The beach is dotted with eager Dubliners and the sky is a brilliant blue, above the sand and in the water. The Poolbeg Chimneys - red and white totems reaching for the clouds amidst the familiar palette of an Irish landscape, have long been a symbol of the capital. Together, come rain or shine, they have stood the test of time since ‘78, while the city bent and shifted – the first structure you see when you fly into Dublin and the last as you fly out. The use of colours, characteristic of a typical Byrne, captures and preserves in time this magic, this moment of sweetness, where the sun is always shining on a city that feels like a town and holds its people and icons dear. 

ONLINE AUCTION DATE