Aga Szot - Cocreator & Manager

How can art be an educational tool and promote culture? What artistic practices and media can be used to communicate and encourage citizens to think differently about their environments? 

The Icon Walk

The Greatest Story Ever Strolled!

By establishing an open-air cultural installation we have, for the most part, rescued the back lanes from petty criminality and improved the amenity of the entire Temple Bar area. The Icon Walk is a free open-air public art installation that promotes Irish culture and heritage.

"A striking and unexpected gallery that is a tribute to the vision and dedication of the founder and the exceptional volunteers who run it. The thought-provoking words that accompany the imagery of the installation beckon us to reflect on who we are, where we have come from, and - most urgently - where we are going. Idealism resonates."

Our presence in the area has reduced crime through the use of Art/Culture and encourage a new role for artists in urban areas and society. The Icon Walk is affiliated with The Icon Factory, a not for profit artists’ gallery. Gallery promotes artists, provides training (internships), and experience to artists, and a chance to display artists artwork on The Icon Walk.

The Icon Walk public art installation showcases original artwork by many different local artists of Irish icons from many disciplines including: writers and playwrights, sports icons, musicians, and actors from the performing arts. The Icon Walk Dublin is accessible and relevant, collaborative and inclusive, efficient and adaptable. It is a sustainable and economical model for public art projects, that is truly iconic and inspirational.

The Icon Walk has been credited with reducing crime in the area, increasing visitor satisfaction and has been praised as offering a new educational tool to the many student groups that visit the city. As several of its larger art works feature Irish writers, of all genres, The Icon Walk has been endorsed by the city’s UNESCO City of Literature office as an important site for the celebration of Irish literary talent and culture.