Work on £18.8m Belfast arts centre to begin in April

Work on Belfast’s new showpiece £18.8m (€19.83m) museum arts centre will begin next April, it was confirmed today.

The six-storey development which includes two theatres and 1,000 sq.metres of exhibition space is to be the central focal point of the city’s Cathedral Quarter when is opens at St. Anne’s Square in 2011.

The building group Bowen Mascott JV Co. Ltd won the contract to develop the site which according to OMAC’s trustees will be the most significant development since the opening of the Odyssey nearly 10 years ago.

Building costs will be over £12m (€12.65m) while the overall project will be within £18.8m (€19.83m). The trustees currently operate the Old Museum Arts Centre (OMAC) at College Square North.

Chairman Joris Minne said they were excited about the plans and the designs which were created by UK Young Architects of the Year, Belfast-based Hackett Hall McKnight

The development will include two performance spaces (one 350-seat and one 120-seat), 1,000 square metres of exhibition area for visual arts, education and workshop rooms, rehearsal and dance studios and a cafe, bar and retail unit as well as offices for staff and resident arts groups.

Mr Minne claimed: “It will have a major regenerative impact on Belfast by bringing 1,000 people into the city centre every night. It will be Belfast’s version of London’s Barbican or Gateshead’s Sage Centre, both arts centres which have driven successful economic regeneration in their regions.”

He added: “This is the most important and significant city centre development since the Odyssey. As well as staging and exhibiting the highest quality drama, dance, art and music, the MAC will provide a home to resident producing companies. It will fulfil another remit which is to support arts across the city and make its resources available to schools, community arts groups, amateur dramatic societies and companies to rehearse, develop and create productions.

Mr Minne claimed the the development would be the largest, most significant, purpose-built visual art space to be built in Ireland in generations.

He added: “There will be no other venue in the UK or mainland Europe like The MAC in terms of its balance between community-based engagement and the performing and visual arts. Its uniqueness will put Belfast on the European cultural map and make a significant contribution to Belfast’s tourism targets.”

Bowen Mascott JV Co Ltd is a NI registered joint venture between Bowen Construction Ltd and Mascott Construction Ltd. Director Alwyn Campbell said the firm was in position to start work in April.

He added: “Bowen Mascott was formed to deliver bespoke projects in a collaborative and solutions orientated manner within the local industry.

“We were competing with some of the best contractors in the country for the MAC so we are very proud to get through this first stage of the procurement process.”