SCENE: South Dublin Creative Economy Network

Supporting the Creative Economy in South Dublin

South Dublin has a vibrant and diverse creative economy. This includes people working in areas such as craft and design, visual arts, music, performance, digital media, and other creative businesses. These sectors are an important part of local communities and make a valuable contribution to the Irish economy through jobs, innovation, and cultural activity.

The creative economy is made up of businesses and individuals who use creativity, skills, and ideas to earn a living. At both local and national level, creative businesses help drive economic growth and strengthen Ireland’s cultural identity. Local Enterprise Office South Dublin recognises the value of this sector and is committed to supporting creative entrepreneurs to start, grow, and sustain their businesses.

What is the SCENE network?

The SCENE network has been created by Local Enterprise Office South Dublin and its partners to support people working in the creative industries. SCENE provides a dedicated space for creative professionals to connect, share information, and access supports that are relevant to their sector.

The network brings together support from Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, South Dublin County Council Arts Office, the Design and Craft Council of Ireland, Creative Ireland, and Visual Artists Ireland, Creative Ireland Programme. By working together, these partners offer a wide range of guidance, supports, and opportunities for creative businesses.

Events and networking

SCENE hosts many events throughout the year. These events are designed to support people working in creative industries by providing opportunities to learn, share ideas, and build professional connections. Networking is an important part of working in the creative sector, and SCENE events help members connect with others who understand their work and challenges. Events may include talks, workshops, information sessions, and networking opportunities within the creative industries.

Membership

Membership of the SCENE network is free. Membership is open to businesses that are trading and located within the South Dublin County Council administrative area only.

If you work in a creative industry, or are planning to work in one, we encourage you to register as a member. By joining SCENE, you can stay informed about supports, events, and opportunities available through Local Enterprise Office South Dublin and its partner organisations.

Become a member of the South Dublin Creative Economy Network for FREE today! Please CLICK HERE TO JOIN

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!Client Success Story!

Mim Cassidy of Mim ink Studios takes home the SCENE Creative Economy Award at the Local Enterprise Awards 2026!

Mim Cassidy - Finding her way through art.

Mim Cassidy is a Dublin born visual artist who has been making work for as long as she can remember. Drawing and painting were part of her life from early childhood, and even then she knew she wanted a creative future, whether that meant becoming an artist or an actor. In the end, visual art won out, and she has been following that pull ever since.

Entirely self taught, Mim learned her craft by doing. Without formal studies to guide her, she relied on practice, patience, trial and error, and years spent drawing and painting wherever she could find the time. Over more than twenty years dedicated to her work, she moved from creating art around the edges of everyday life to pursuing her practice full time. That independence still defines her approach and gives her work a confidence that feels instinctive rather than taught.

Bright, bold, and unapologetically colourful, Mim’s paintings celebrate Irish urban life in all its resilience and energy. She affectionately refers to her work as urban dopamine décor. Inspired by Dublin streets and familiar city scenes, her paintings reimagine the everyday as abstract inspired expressions of movement, joy, and optimism. Deeply rooted in her identity as an Irish woman, her work reflects a strong sense of place while offering uplifting pieces designed to bring colour and life into homes, workspaces, and public settings.

Alongside her studio practice, Mim has built a strong and genuine online presence under the name @miminkstudios. Rather than focusing on polished promotion, she uses the space to share works in progress, finished pieces, and the thoughts that come with making art. It feels like an ongoing conversation rather than a sales pitch, offering insight into both her process and her motivation.

Her commitment to creativity extends beyond her own work. When the war in Ukraine first broke out, Mim took it upon herself to curate an art auction to raise vital funds. Through determination and no small amount of blagging, she secured The Round Room in the Mansion House and brought together some of Ireland’s most successful artists, each donating work to be auctioned. One hundred percent of the proceeds went to the Scoop Foundation, who were working directly on the ground to evacuate and support people in Ukraine. On the day, Mim helped raise 11,000 euro for Ukraine, a moment she describes as one of her proudest, both as an artist and as a person.

In 2026, her work and persistence were recognised locally when she won the Creative Economy SCENE Category Award at the South Dublin Local Enterprise Office Awards. The moment marked more than a professional milestone. Mim has spoken openly about how difficult it can be to imagine, let alone build, a sustainable creative business in the current climate. Being acknowledged within her local creative community felt deeply affirming, and on the night she described feeling both proud and genuinely overwhelmed, not just by winning, but by being seen.

She credits the support of the South Dublin Local Enterprise Office as instrumental in helping her believe that a creative path could also be a viable one. For Mim, it reinforced the importance of community, of learning alongside others, and of having local organisations willing to support creative ambition with practical guidance and encouragement.

Mim does not confine herself to a single style or medium. Her background in both drawing and painting allows her work to remain fluid and intuitive, shaped by instinct rather than instruction. That openness is part of what draws people in. There is a sense that her work comes from a very direct place, made by someone who trusts her own eye and allows ideas the time to grow.

Mim Cassidy’s career is a reminder that there is no single route into the art world. Through steady work, honest self expression, and a willingness to share both the process and the reality of creative life, she has built a body of work and an engaged audience that continues to grow. Whether discovered online, in a gallery, or through word of mouth, it is clear that she is still very much in the middle of her journey, and that sense of movement is part of what makes her work so compelling

You can follow Mim's journey on Instagram here: Miminkstudios Instagram

Miriam cassidy