Limavady Arts and Culture Centre (Ionad Ealaíon agus Cultúir Ghleann na Ró) By Scott Smyth
Located on Main Street on the site of the old Town Hall the centre is intended to become the new cultural focus in Limavady. Roe Valley Arts and Culture Centre (RVACC) has taken more than 18 months to complete at a cost of £3m, but after seeing the centre, I for one think it is time and money well spent. The imposing facade of the old Town Hall combined with modern architecture of the new building creates an air of sophistication rarely seen in Limavady and when I got in touch with the new Arts and Culture Services Officer, Desima Connolly, who is effectively managing the centre, I was eager to get her spin on the centre, its aims and function within the town and borough as a whole.
The Centre opened over the Halloween weekend so what can we expect to see as a launch for the Centre? “The staff, including myself, began only a few months ago and therefore we are having a ‘soft’ opening and the official launch will take place in January 2011. We have an exciting opening season (Oct-Dec) which will be launched within the next few weeks including a series of open days consisting of free workshops, live entertainment and more, to encourage people to come in and see the Centre and get a taste of what we’re about. Our launch event in January will focus on celebrating the cultural successes of Limavady and will have a few fantastic spectacles thrown in!”
Programming for the Centre is expected to cater for all tastes comprising theatre, music, performance, visual arts & crafts and local histories initiatives. The Centres Gallery Programme aims to entice us with established artists whilst showcasing the up and coming talent of the local art scene. The towns local film society, the Roe Valley Film Club, will no doubt take advantage of the recently acquired film screening license which will allow screenings for all ages as part of RVACC Reels launching early in the new year. The impressive Danny Boy Auditorium, with a seating capacity of 215 provides the centre with a multi-purpose space which evokes a sense of intimacy while at the theatre, a rare and pleasing sensation from an area designed to be something of an ‘occasion’.
In the upper level the O’Hampsey Studio provides a smaller performance area and with its mirrored interior is ideal for dance courses and rehearsals, while the colourful workshop rooms are designed for creative educational courses. Of course an Arts Centre would not be complete without a gallery and RVACC comes up trumps with three. The main Keady Gallery will host bi-monthly visual art exhibitions, complimented by the Broighter Gallery showcasing crafts and sculptural shows whilst the Ritter Gallery will provide us with local community and heritage-related exhibitions.
Desima discusses the value of having the large outdoor stage; “The Borough’s large seasonal events will now operate from the Centre’s Drumceatt Square such as Halloween and the Illuminations Ceremony. Drumceatt Square is a wonderful bonus to the Centre and will now fulfil the role of the community town square, which Limavady hasn’t had.”
Limavady has many links to international talent such as Cara Dillon, who will be launching the Danny Boy Festival, but Desima is eager to emphasise that the RVACC is here for the local artists, musicians and writers; “We are here to support local artists and already have pledged assistance to the Jane Ross Writers Group and the local film society. We are promoting emerging local artists, such as David McDowell and Donna Marley who are exhibiting with us in Nov & Dec and hope that the Centre will become a hub for all of the local creative practitioners, including independent artists, local cultural groups and cultural businesses. We will also offer employment to local artists where possible through our education programme and I believe that an arts centre excels when it enables the wonderful dynamic that occurs with creative engagement between grassroots and professional practice. I am so excited about our first main exhibition in 2011 which will be by Limavady-born and now internationally acclaimed painter Michael McGuinness. Now based in England, Michael went from Limavady to the Slade Art School in London and his work is both revered and sought after. What better message is there for us to proclaim, than to celebrate such fantastic local talent?”
Limavady over the past few years, has seen a surge in interest of all things artistic but there are some who still feel this is for a certain "elite" group of the community. Personally I think this couldn't be farther from the truth. You only have to look at our schools to see talent and enthusiasm shining through. When asked how the Centre aimed to reach everyone in the community Desima said “The key is to foster dialogue and mutual learning between artists and the community and to create unique projects and opportunities which facilitates this wonderful alchemy. Our outreach service will achieve this. Though I have to say I even dislike the word outreach – it implies there is reaching out to be done. Any good arts centre should have the local community at its core. Art should never be viewed as elitist. If it is, there’s something seriously wrong.”
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