Statement on Plans for Reopening of the Irish Writers Centre

Statement on Plans for Reopening of the Irish Writers Centre

22 July 2020

Updated 8 October 2020

Thank you for your support and patience throughout 2020 as our usual services have been radically changed in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As of October 2020, the IWC building remains closed to the public but we continue to deliver our courses, opportunities, mentoring and other activities for you online. 

We aim to ensure a safe and warm welcome to you all, whilst providing a safe workplace for our team who have been working remotely throughout the pandemic period to continue to deliver our services. I’m also delighted to say that our online remote delivery of creative writing courses piloted in March will continue. 

Our plans for reopening have been made in accordance with the Government’s “Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business” June 4th, 2020, and aligning with Government guidance and complies with the National “Return to Work Safely Protocol” (May 2020). This plan was subsequently updated in line with the Government’s National Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19, published 15 September 2020. Our work at the Irish Writers Centre continues to follow the recommendations outlined by the Government’s 5 Level Framework for Restrictive Measures.

We have provided dedicated Customer Information for you to give you more guidance on how to use our spaces so you can see the health and safety changes we have made ready to welcome you back to the building. Here we outline the measures we have put in place, and we look forward to updating you on when we will reopen to our members and the public when it is safe to do so. The plan outlines a phased process of reopening at a later date, initially for staff only, then for members on an appointment basis, then for creative writing courses in person held in the building with reduced capacity. 

At time of writing, we are not currently taking bookings for book launches, external events or room bookings. Further plans for book launches, external events and room bookings will be released when progress on containing the Covid-19 virus and subsequent Government measures emerge. We will keep in touch with you all as the situation changes.

We will continue to revise these plans as we monitor the Covid-19 situation, so please do bear in mind we will make changes to this plan as necessary to ensure your safety.

We outline these plans with an emphasis on Health & Safety, social distancing requirements and increased hygiene protocols. These plans have been created to respond to the specifics of our building, a Georgian terrace house with a number of small internal rooms and limited exits and entrances. We have implemented our protocol accordingly with your safety in mind, and we would be grateful for your cooperation with these new procedures as we implement and refine these measures to best meet the needs of our IWC members, guests and staff. 

All elements of this plan are subject to change and we will at all times adhere to the Government’s measures. Please note, the social distancing guideline at the time of writing is to keep 2m apart.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming our community of writers back into IWC with caution and consideration for the health and wellbeing of all who use our spaces. If you have any questions, please check out our Re-opening FAQs or contact us on Info@writerscentre.ie

Hilary Copeland

Acting Director