Mullingar Arts Centre 5.13

Following extensive renovations the County Hall was transformed into the Mullingar Arts Centre which opened officially on November 19th 1998 with the first programme of events being launched in February 1999.

The Arts Centre provides workshops in Art, Music, Dance/Ballet, Crafts, Drama ( for adults, children, disadvantaged and those with special needs). The Centre is all inclusive. During 1999 all art forms were presented in the Centre and the Centre proved to be a focal point for arts in the midlands in a short space of time.

Mullingar Arts Centre has as it's main mission the education of children into the whole area of the Arts. An innovative approach has been taken in this area. It is the policy of the Centre to provide buses for rural school children to all children's events. The Centre organises the buses and shows for the schools. The Arts Centre has also initiated an Arts Education Programme which was initially targeted towards rural schools.

This programme covers all areas of the arts: Music, Art, Dance, Photography, Literature, Drama, technical aspects of theatre, including sound, lights, stage management etc.

All of these modules are provided by professionals who are active in the particular art stream.

School tours of the Centre incorporating the history of the area is also a great favourite with the children. The centre runs numerous classes in all art forms and provides community arts facilities for older people, those with special needs and the general public.

Mullingar Arts Centre proved in it's first year of existence to be a truly cultural experience for all the people of the Midlands with unprecedented numbers visiting for various events and classes. It far outstripped even the highest expectations.