The MAC

The MAC, Belfast’s new arts centre, will be a world-class home for the arts in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter when it opens in 2011.The MAC’s origins lie in the Old Museum Arts Centre (OMAC) which for over 20 years has provided Belfast with some of the most original, inspiring and often provocative arts events in the UK and Ireland and we are dedicated to continuing to do so in The MAC – Belfast’s first arts centre to be built from scratch.  In the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, The MAC will be six storeys high and will house two theatres, three visual art galleries, a dance studio, education, workshop and rehearsal spaces, offices for resident arts groups and (of course)  a cool café and bar.The MAC will open its doors in 2011 and will offer a world class programme ranging from blockbuster events and exhibitions to challenging, experimental new works. Across all its spaces The MAC will celebrate and showcase the very best in home-grown arts and culture as well as bringing the rest of the world to Belfast.Art is all around us, but we need more access, more diversity and more collaboration. Behind The MAC lies a noble ideology - to place the arts at the heart of contemporary life, housed in a new and modern environment. The MAC will attract approximately 200,000 people each year and is set to become one of Europe’s most significant arts centres.The building has been designed by an Integrated Design Team led by architects, Hackett Hall McKnight.ABOUT THE MACWhat’s in it?Visual Art GalleriesThe galleries will be the largest, most significant purpose-built visual art spaces in Northern Ireland. Innovative and challenging work by new and emerging artists will be presented alongside the work of established and internationally recognised artists from Northern Ireland and the rest of the world.Crucially, The MAC’s closed control gallery technology and design will give it the ability to exhibit priceless art works from around the globe - a ground-breaking first for Northern Ireland.350 seat Theatre The MAC will maintain the OMAC tradition of presenting dynamic and award-winning theatre. The 350 seat theatre will platform a year-round mixed and balanced programme of mid-scale visiting and local drama, dance, comedy and music that will appeal to every audience.120 seat TheatreThe programme for the 120 seat Theatre will build on OMAC’s international reputation for presenting the best of new and emerging as well as established small scale theatre and dance.  It will also provide a space where performing artists can experiment and develop new work - a crucial building block in keeping theatre alive and relevant in our rapidly changing world.Dance StudioAs part of its dedication to supporting local dance, The MAC will include a much needed, dedicated dance studio, a focal point for the dance community in Northern Ireland.Community Engagement and Workshop SpaceThe MAC’s ethos embraces the pursuit of excellence in all forms of art whether this happens in theatres and galleries or schools and community centres.  The MAC will create a connection between artistic excellence, social regeneration and community reconciliation.  The MAC will be a unique axis point, involving people of all ages and from every cultural background from across Northern Ireland.   We will support collaboration between artists and arts organisations, community partners, civic groups and businesses in pursuit of mutual goals and richer experiences.The DenThe Den will be a positive and engaging space where young people can connect directly with the life of The MAC. As well as providing space for workshops, training and education The Den will be a place for innovation and creativity where young people can feel inspired and engaged and help contribute to the development of the arts in Northern Ireland.  They will also be able to just hang out here if they need a respite from all their creative endeavour!What Will The MAC Do?Live EventsThe MAC will be the foremost presenter of high quality national and international touring work new to Northern Ireland as well as the home of independent theatre and dance produced in Northern Ireland. We will present at least 10 world premieres each year of the very best work that our local companies can offer, work that matches our ambition to be a world-class venue.  And that’s not all.  Innovative and exciting music will add to the quality and diversity of our performing arts programme, refreshing the parts that commercial music venues can’t reach while literature and comedy will also find a natural home in The MAC.Visual ArtThe MAC’s visual art galleries will be some of the most flexible in Ireland with the capacity to change shape and character depending on the work that we programme.  Every visit to the visual art galleries will be a new experience, through our rotating calendar of exhibitions and activities that will give a distinctive insight into contemporary visual art.The MAC will play a role in developing the next generation of artists by championing new and emerging work as well as engaging with children and young people.The MAC’s visual art programmes will overturn the assumption that visual art is a marginal activity without sacrificing the quality of the work we help create and present.  Our mixed and balanced programme will appeal to a diverse audience and will include ‘crowd pleasers’ from the world’s most renowned living and dead artists as well as the best of new and emerging contemporary artists.ParticipationMy Arts CentreThis is a three year, inter-connected and strategic outreach project which will see OMAC work with a range of community partners from across Belfast with the ultimate aim of engendering a sense of ownership of and community ‘buy-in’ for The MAC.  Year One commenced in 2008 with My Active Community and Year Two sees the delivery of the My Active City element of the project in 2009/2010 leading into My Arts Centre in 2010/2011.Through My Active City, OMAC will offer opportunities for schools, communities and youth groups to look beyond the sometimes self-imposed and at other times externally imposed boundaries of their own communities and consider how they can become active on a wider civic scale and share in and benefit from the cultural, economic and social regeneration of their city and beyond.When you have a venue as multifaceted as The MAC, it’s hard to sum up exactly what it will do in one sentence, but whatever event you come to, you will be guaranteed to experience the work of some of the world’s most exciting artists and performers from around the corner, and around the world.