Celebrating 25 years of dedication to the arts

Mullingar Arts Centre officially opened on November 19, 1998, and its first programme of events was launched in February 1999. It has been thriving ever since. Mullingar Arts Centre is always a hive of activity and a place where a diverse range of artists, audiences and participants meet.

The arts centre boasts a varied annual programme in which more than 150 individual shows are staged in its stunning 378 -seat theatre. These shows vary from music recitals and bands, to concerts, plays of various genres, dance recitals, comedians, musicals, and theatre in education (TIE).

In line with Arts Council policy, centres have become much more than “receiving houses” for touring productions, and Mullingar Arts Centre has certainly stepped up to the challenge.

We recognise the importance of community and community involvement in the arts. As a result, we have developed a programme of in-house and outreach creative opportunities that bring the arts centre’s vision alive. One is the spectacular piece of theatre you are about to enjoy – Valley of the Squinting Windows.

Our programme is inviting, exciting, engaging and creative for a huge array of people. We are extremely proud of what we offer for the Westmeath community, catering for all ages, from babies to senior citizens.

The centre welcomes more than 1,300 people through its doors for weekly classes and workshops in dance, drama, acting, piano, yoga and singing. Tutors engage with some 2,000 children in weekly education and outreach projects focusing on musical theatre, dance, drama, singing, and composing on a weekly basis.

The centre’s dedication to arts participation is phenomenal and taken on board with passion and vigour. It remains a mystery then, that despite meeting the vision of the Arts Council, Mullingar Arts Centre is consistently turned down for funding from the national body. Recently applied for Arts Centre and Arts Participation grants were refused, and as a result no funding provided.

Despite that, the tenacity of centre staff, engaged artists and community individuals and groups ensure our programme is inviting, exciting, engaging and creative for a huge array of people in Westmeath and surrounding areas.

We have a dedicated team of around 25 full- and part-time staff at the centre, consisting of administration, management, front of house, technical staff, and crew. Our core team of arts facilitators are dancers, singers, actors and teachers who are proud to share their professional experience and knowledge with their community.

We are always proud when groups and individuals from Mullingar Arts Centre community perform in local and national (arts) events such as Crinniú na nÓg, Belvedere House events, celebratory parades, Pride and Culture Night.

There is no doubt the centre’s programme supports the infrastructure of the arts nationally, which is of crucial importance. It most definitely helps the midlands community to develop an artistic voice and gives time and space for the growth of creative energies and artistic skills of future generations to come.

Many past pupils from the centre’s Stage School and Student Players group go into the arts at third level education and continue to work in the performing arts field locally and nationally. The centre is extremely proud to have been their first artistic platform and learning space.

Our refurbished front foyer is an acknowledgement to Mullingar’s excellence in the field of the performing arts with portraits of Mary McEvoy, Niall Horan, Niamh Algar, Tina Kellegher, Niall Breslin, Emmet Cahill, Conor Moore, Mark Irwin and Foster and Allen. We are looking forward to adding Eimear Keating and Nathan Daly to our alumni walls.

There have been many theatrical and creative highlights over the last 25 years, which will be revisited on the centre’s 25th anniversary celebration gala in November (see right for more details). We are delighted to be staging the Valley of the Squinting Windows again, and remember fondly the visit from President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, Uachtarán na hÉireann, when it was first staged in Mullingar in 2019.