The Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, incorporating Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and Smashing Times Youth Arts Ensemble, is dedicated to the promotion, study and practice of the arts and equality.

The centre operates as a world class arts space and digital hub for artists, activists, communities and the general public across Ireland and internationally, providing a resource service and a training and networking agency in relation to using high quality creative processes and collaborative arts practice to promote human rights and equality for all. The work of the company over the last 20 years has spanned across and beyond Europe, with projects running in partnership a wide range of organisations in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, Spain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Israel and Sri Lanka. The company plays a leading role in the development of the arts to promote, human rights, gender equality, peace building, active citizenship and positive mental health and well-being through high-quality artistic processes. Smashing Times is lead partner on a range of transnational European projects and is highly experienced in using the arts to promote issues at local, national and European levels.

Smashing Times was originally established in 1991 by a group of women who met as actors at the Focus Theatre, Dublin. The company was set up as a professional theatre organisation producing plays and outreach programmes in Ireland and Northern Ireland and later, across Europe. In 2015, the company expanded to incorporate professional film practice and new digital technologies, promoting an interdisciplinary approach to performance and participation. In 2018, the company established the new Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Human Rights, a hub for creative activity, community engagement and social inclusion for all at local, national, European and international levels.

The centre, along with the new Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Human Rights website is now an overall body providing a resource service for and bringing together professional artists, cultural activists, arts and cultural organisations, schools, youth and communities, civil society and human rights organisations, local authories, policy makers and tourists to engage with the Arts and promote human rights, gender equality and social inclusion. It operates as a world-class arts space and digital hub for artists, communities and the general public across Ireland and internationally, providing a resource service and networking agency and an annual inter-disciplinary arts programme for participants and service users. The website, live now, incorporates the Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company’s website as well as the Smashing Times Youth Ensemble, a young arts group made up of 12 young people between the ages of 18 and 23 to create an original multi-disciplinary performance using theatre, spoken word, music and film.

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality TEAM