Significant expansions in Mayo arts centre offerings

THE Linenhall Arts Centre has invited Castlebar Municipal District (CMD) councillors to launch two reports in early 2025.

The reports highlight significant expansions at the Linenhall since Covid, and they have extended thanks to councillors for their support of these and other important community focused events at the heritage building.

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne was thanked for his contribution as a long-serving board member up until 2024, with Councillor Ger Deere welcomed as a new board member.

In 2024 the Linenhall opened three private work space studios for artists to the rear of the building. A severe shortage of suitable, affordable space has driven many artists to relocate away from Castlebar. These studios will keep our artists living locally and are fully occupied.

They intend to build on this success and identify suitable off-site venues suitable for artist working spaces.

The review of the pilot project Onsite Visual Artist Workspaces at The Linenhall Arts Centre Report documents this new direction for the Linenhall.

The second report, Linenhall Community Gallery 2022 – 2024, captures the success of the 22 community exhibitions held in the foyer gallery since re-opening in January '22. These exhibitions have brought thousands of visitors to the town, across all age-groups and abilities, as they strongly showcased Castlebar and Mayo themes, including The Ballroom of Romance - Terry O Brien; Faces of Castlebar - Frank Fullard; Brose Walsh Show band Retrospective - Linenhall production; 100 Years - Castlebar Celtic Football Club; Creative Freedom - Michael Davitt Museum and Straide National School; Welcome to Mayo - Direct Provision Castlebar; It Takes a Village - Siblings Separated in Foster Care - Castlebar Tusla; Count Me In - Castlebar young people with autism; Graduate Show - ATU Fine Art graduates; Visual Art Exhibition – St. Gerald’s DLS; Faces from Mayo Front Line Covid Hero’s - Orla Sloyan; Creative Schools – Ballyvary NS, St. Paul's, Islandeady NS, Kiltimagh Youthreach; and Luisne - participants aged over 50 often with severe disabilities.

Visitor footfall during many of these exhibitions exceeded 1,700.

The report showcases the phenomenal work of many community groups and individuals across the town and will be of great interest.

Establishing working studios and producing high quality community exhibitions is not funded by the centre's core funder. These projects happened because of the consistent support of the local council.

At these launches, the centre would like to draw attention to all the other events that only happen because of CMD support.

In a statement, they set out: 'We make sure that our resources are available to all other creative projects, such as Music Generation, Music West, Music in Market Square, 1798 committee, Wild Atlantic Words, Mayo Day, Christmas in Castlebar, and Culture Night. This is because we are here year round supporting creativity and providing high quality life affirming shared experiences.

'More and more national and international reports tell us how isolated and lonely many people feel, citing 20 per cent in rural Ireland post-Covid. With CMD support our weekly and monthly groups that are either free or pay what you can afford continue to grow and thrive.

'These groups provide a warm welcome to all. We connect people who feel lost and disconnected - through our Slow Trad Session, Open Poetry evenings, World book Club, Theatre Lab, Collage Collective, Inclusive Singing, Club Ceol and many others. Independent research has found that The Linenhall is now the most inclusive Arts venue in Ireland.

'Through our Cultural Companions partnership with Mayo Arts Office we ensure that people who are lonely and feel house-bound can come along and join their community, feel welcome, and feel part of Castlebar.

'Loneliness has reached epidemic proportions in some parts of Mayo, and in partnership with Flourish, Mental Health Castlebar, Rehab and others we make sure there is an open door and a welcome to all, all year round, day in day out. Come in our door and become part of the Castlebar community.

'With CMD dedicated support the Linenhall has expanded significantly since Covid in response to the greater need for connection with community and each other. Although our programmes are year-round and include thousands of visitors this is not always evident as we are a bit hidden away indoors in the building. However, keeping The Linenhall building alive remains a central part of what we do.

'In 2024 we have applied for €200,000 towards upgrades, maintenance and repairs to the building and in 2025 hope to announcing our success in securing same.

'We want to take every opportunity to draw attention to the CMD councillors support as we celebrate our successes and achievements.'