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Tucked among the mature trees on the grounds of the Dublin Arts Council sits a small log cabin with a big story. Thanks to a significant investment by the City of Dublin, the historic Riverside Cabin was carefully relocated and rebuilt on Dublin Arts Council’s grounds, a preservation effort that saved a meaningful piece of local history.
Now, the Dublin Arts Council and the Dublin Historical Society are collaborating to turn the beautifully restored structure into a place where people gather around art.
From trading post to gathering space
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The historic Riverside Cabin was carefully relocated and rebuilt on DAC grounds.
The cabin's roots go back to its original purpose as a trading post, a spot where people came together to exchange goods, news and stories. Today, that spirit of exchange continues in a new form: an exchange of ideas, skills, traditions and creativity.
Describing the guiding idea behind the project, Executive Director of Dublin Arts Council Merijn van der Heijden says, "History provides the setting, artists shape the experience and community completes the story. It's a simple concept, but a powerful one. The cabin itself, restored and standing proudly, is only half the equation.”
Dublin Arts Council is working closely with the Dublin Historical Society not only to tell the cabin's story, but also to seek support to furnish its interior and exterior. Together, the goal is to create one continuous experience – structured, artist-led programming inside the cabin, and more informal conversation, reflection and connection just outside its doors.
“The Riverside Cabin is a wonderful example of how preservation can connect Dublin’s past with its present and future. Through our collaboration with Dublin Arts Council, this historic place will once again bring people together to exchange ideas, share traditions and create new experiences; continuing a spirit of community and connection that has been part of the cabin’s story for generations,” says Mike Jewell, Dublin Historical Society president.
Cultivating meaningful connection
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Meaningful connection happens when a small group sits down together to create something. Through artist-led workshops, cultural traditions, writing, storytelling, music and hands-on crafting, visitors will discover how artists draw on history to spark new ideas, skills and conversations. The rustic setting, nestled among mature trees along the Scioto River, offers an intimate experience distinct from the main Dublin Arts Council building; one that encourages curiosity, reflection and meaningful human connection.
The project also aligns with Dublin Arts Council's broader campus vision: a destination where art, history, nature and community intersect.
A first taste of what's possible
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Yūzen workshop with Kay Yamakawa
In July, the space hosted a trial workshop with mother-daughter Keiko (Kay) and Chisato (Chi) Yamakawa, both Dublin-based artists, who led a two-part intensive on Tegaki Yūzen – a centuries-old, Japanese hand-painted dyeing technique. Over two three-hour sessions, adult beginners with an existing appreciation for textile arts moved beyond basic dyeing to learn the meticulous "painting with dye" method that has shaped Japanese textile art for more than 300 years.
Kay brought a deeply personal connection to the craft; her great-grandfather was recognized as a Japanese National Treasure, and Yūzen dyeing runs through her family's artistic lineage. Chi, who splits her time between Dublin and New York, paired her formal training in the technique with her own background in photography and printmaking. Together, they walked participants through the detail-oriented process.
It was exactly the kind of experience Dublin Arts Council had imagined for the cabin; a small group, gathered closely, learning something rare and time-honored from artists rooted in the community.
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Yūzen
A welcome gathering place
The Riverside Cabin will be both a creative workspace and a welcoming gathering place. It won’t just be a preserved piece of Dublin’s past but an active living part of its present.
The cabin will be a place where neighbors become collaborators, where history sparks new creativity, artists are empowered and the community is strengthened through shared experiences. Keep an eye out for more programming in 2027.
Raygan Barrett is the Director of Design & Strategy at Dublin Arts Council.
