€5m Creative Hub for court in Bushmills

The old Courthouse Building in Bushmills is to be the site of a new €5 million Shared Space Creative Hub.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The hub will seek to engage not only the local community, but individuals and groups from across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough area and the border, to participate in community cohesion and integration programmes via creativity and shared heritage.

Funding for the Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub has been provided through the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Match-funding has been provided by the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development, Ireland.

Led by Enterprise Causeway, the project will involve the renovation of the 1834 building and will incorporate a new three-storey extension that will include: visitor facilities and a shop; a Café; messy studio; 15 workshop spaces; three shared meeting spaces; car parking; and a garden area.

From (l-r): Kieran Moylan, Principal Officer of the Libraries Development and Community Policy Unit, Department of Rural and Community Development Ireland; Gina McIntyre, CEO The Special EU Programmes Body; Jayne Taggart, CEO, Enterprise Causeway; Andrew Molloy, Hamilton Architects; and Mark O'Donnell, Deputy Secretary for Housing, Urban Regeneration and Local Government, Department for CommunitiesFrom (l-r): Kieran Moylan, Principal Officer of the Libraries Development and Community Policy Unit, Department of Rural and Community Development Ireland; Gina McIntyre, CEO The Special EU Programmes Body; Jayne Taggart, CEO, Enterprise Causeway; Andrew Molloy, Hamilton Architects; and Mark O'Donnell, Deputy Secretary for Housing, Urban Regeneration and Local Government, Department for Communities
From (l-r): Kieran Moylan, Principal Officer of the Libraries Development and Community Policy Unit, Department of Rural and Community Development Ireland; Gina McIntyre, CEO The Special EU Programmes Body; Jayne Taggart, CEO, Enterprise Causeway; Andrew Molloy, Hamilton Architects; and Mark O'Donnell, Deputy Secretary for Housing, Urban Regeneration and Local Government, Department for Communities

In addition to the capital build project, a Community Arts Engagement Programme will be rolled out.

Some activity has already occurred over the summer months, with Enterprise Causeway having facilitated ten different programmes to over 300 people, including pottery and macramé for adults; scratch art; kite making for teens and a mini maker back-to-nature art competition.

The project will support creative businesses, generate new jobs, and provide dedicated and inclusive community spaces and skills development programmes.

Enterprise Causeway are currently awaiting planning permission from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and are hopeful of commencing building works later this year, with a target completion of March 2023.