Cork County Council has granted planning permission for West Cork Music’s landmark multipurpose arts venue and education hub in the heart of Bantry, subject to the normal conditions.
The 1,970 sq m development, designed by award-winning practice McCullough Mulvin Architects and an experienced design team, will feature a 270+-seat auditorium, dedicated education and rehearsal spaces, and a café and public plaza. The new faciliites will sit alongside Bantry’s iconic library as part of an emerging cultural quarter in the harbour town.
“For thirty years we have dreamed of creating a permanent home for the performing arts and arts education in West Cork, and this decision brings that dream significantly closer to reality,” said Francis Humphrys, CEO of West Cork Music. “We’re delighted planning has been granted, and that the final grant of permission is expected in the coming weeks. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has supported us to reach this point.”
The news was announced to audiences at the opening concert of Masters of Tradition by Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan TD. The project has also received significant support from Senator Noel O’Donovan, and Minister Patrick O Donovan TD who was set to open the West Cork Literary Festival earlier in the summer. The project has also had long-term support from former West Cork Music board member, Holly Cairns TD, and from local councillors.
The next steps for the project involve raising funds to complete the purchase of the venue site, which is currently occupied by Biggs Wholesalers on Bridge Street, Bantry (that business will continue to trade following the purchase, from a new site.
A home and a hub for the arts
Currently local audiences must travel for over an hour to either Cork or Killarney to reach a purpose-built concert hall. Specialist facilities for music education are also out of reach for local communities, and many of the venues West Cork Music uses for its festivals and growing concert series are not designed to support access for all. While the organisation’s festivals, now in their 31st year, will continue to spill out across wonderful venues including Bantry House and the West Cork islands each summer, the new facilities will create a home and hub for the organisation, enabling it to act as a year-round engine for the arts across Bantry and its hinterlands.
West Cork Music’s ambitious plans include concerts and community performances, as well as lessons, workshops and masterclasses across disciplines for musicians, writers, and performers of all ages and abilities, from beginner to elite levels.
Designed by award-winning Dublin practice McCullough Mulvin Architects, the concert hall and education hub, with a total floor area of 1,970 sq m, comprise a 270+-seat auditorium and dedicated education and rehearsal spaces, along with a café and public plaza. Sitting alongside Bantry Library, the venue and hub will help shape an emerging cultural quarter in the harbour town, transforming access to the arts in a rural area, as well as supporting Bantry’s vibrancy and year-round tourism appeal.
Local, Irish, and international donors have already rowed in behind the project, helping to raise close to €1 million towards its costs.
Much-needed arts infrastructure for a creative region
“West Cork is an extraordinarily creative region, but it has been under-served in terms of permanent arts infrastructure. Our venue and education hub — thirty years in the making — will bring world-class performances to West Cork year-round, develop local talent, and make Bantry an even better place to live and visit. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has helped us reach this point.”
— Francis Humphrys, CEO & Artistic Director, West Cork Music
West Cork Music’s innovative festivals attract artists and audiences from across the world, and they created an economic impact of €7.67 million in 2025 alone. In readiness for its expansion, WCM is already extending its programme – the registered charity staged its first autumn festival, a celebration of Shostakovich, last October, and its concert series, featuring talented Irish singer-songwriters, is growing out across the year.
You can support West Cork Music’s venue plans by donating to help progress this ambitious project.
