Metropolitan Arts Centre

Art museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Metropolitan Arts Centre

Established| 20 April 2012 (2012-04-20)
Location| Belfast, Northern Ireland
Coordinates| 54°36′13″N 5°55′39″W﻿ / ﻿54.60361°N 5.92750°W﻿ / 54.60361; -5.92750
Type| Art museum
Public transit access| Belfast Central and Yorkgate stations
Nearest car park| Saint Anne’s Square
Website| themaclive.com

The Metropolitan Arts Centre, usually referred to as the MAC, is an arts venue in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and is home to all kinds of exhibitions, theatre performances, experimental works.

The MAC is a cultural hub and a vital shared space in Belfast. Open 363 days per year, the MAC offers an eclectic programme of visual art, theatre, dance, family workshops and lots more. Since opening in 2012, some 1.5 million visitors have come through the doors of the MAC.

In 2015 the MAC was shortlisted for the Museum of the Year prize, with sponsor The Art Fund stating that “Belfast’s new arts venue presented an outstanding programme in 2014 and established itself as a world-class attraction”.[1]

## Architecture

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Designed by Belfast-based architectural practice Hackett Hall McKnight, the MAC sits on a roughly trapezium-shaped site opposite St Anne's Cathedral. The building, completed in February 2012, consists of a number of intersecting brick volumes and a basalt tower topped with three stories of glazing.[2]

The project won a 2013 RIBA National Award[3] and was awarded the 2014 Downes Medal by the Architectural Association of Ireland.[4]

## History

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In 1989, the centre was opened as the Old Museum Arts Centre.[5] The Old Museum is a Grade A listed building of the Belfast Natural History Society. Two decades later, the building needed a renovation and its limitations, such as the lack of accessibility for wheelchair users, prompted the OMAC to build anew.[6][7]

The last theatre production in the old building was performed at the end of 2009. The Weein, a play by Patrick J. O'Reilly, starred amongst others Kerri Quinn.[8] At the end of January 2010 the OMAC closed its doors.[5]

## The Permanent Present

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The MAC has a single permanent artwork: The Permanent Present by Irish artist Mark Garry.[1][9] The work was jointly commissioned by the MAC and The Thomas Devlin Fund, a charity set up in memory of murdered teenager Thomas Devlin,[9][10] and consists of 400 copper strands in a spectrum of colours reaching from a high window down to the first floor.[11] Anne McReynolds, Chief Executive of the MAC, said the aim was “to commission an artwork that would comment on The Thomas Devlin Fund’s commitment to highlighting the futility of violence as well as the hopes and aspirations of our young people”, and artist Mark Garry stated that he “wanted to create a work that is positive and hopeful”.[10]

## References

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1. ^ a b "The MAC". Art Fund Museum of the Year. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
2. ^ "Belfast's Metropolitan Arts Centre by Hackett Hall McKnight". Architectural Review. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
3. ^ "2013 RIBA National and EU Awards announced". RIBA. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
4. ^ "AAI Awards 2014". Architectural Association of Ireland. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
5. ^ a b Grania McFadden (22 January 2010). "Bid a fond farewell to a Belfast legend". Belfast Telegraph.
6. ^ "Old Museum Arts Centre". communityni.org. Retrieved 22 September 2024. Last updated in March 2015.
7. ^ "Old Museum Building". Ulster Architectural Heritage. 4 July 2024.
8. ^ Lisa Fitzpatrick (25 November 2009). "The Weein". Irish Theatre Magazine - via itmarchive.ie.
9. ^ a b "Thomas Devlin's family finds new hope as sculpture in memory of murdered son goes on show at MAC". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
10. ^ a b "New art installation 'The Permanent Present' by Mark Garry is launched at the MAC". The MAC. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
11. ^ "Belfast's MAC opens for art". BBC News. Retrieved 28 June 2015.

## External links

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* Official website
* Project architect’s website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX