Ballina Arts Centre – the home of art making in North Mayo

By Helen Falconer

On the banks of the River Moy, overlooking the salmon ridgepool and just downstream from the new footbridge, stands Ballina Arts Centre – a blend of traditional stone and modern glass architecture.
For over a decade, this purpose-built centre has provided a generous, non-judgemental public space for north Mayo’s artists, writers, dancers, musicians and actors to develop and display their work.
There are dance and drama studios with sprung floors and walls of mirrors; a music room with instruments and sound equipment; a library for literary endeavours; paint-splattered art and printing rooms; gallery spaces for art, and a 218-seat auditorium fully equipped with sound, lighting and three floors of dressing rooms.
The centre is designed for everyone. The ethos, explains deputy manager Sara English, is to offer as much support and attention to new and emerging artists as to those who are already established.
“It’s important that we have the same attitude to every artist,” says Sara. “And we support so many different art forms – dance, theatre, music, shows for adults and children – and each one has a different feeling to it, and so each one is run slightly differently, but we try to give each one the same sort of focus and relevance and make sure everyone feels they’re getting the same level of attention.”
Thanks to this philosophy, amateur theatre groups can expect as much care as critically-acclaimed national productions. Published and unpublished poets both get a shot at the microphone. Local and national artists exhibit in the old stone gallery, while the beautiful exhibition space upstairs overlooking the river is entirely dedicated to artists from or living in Mayo.
And every exhibition launch is open to everyone, which creates a lovely space to meet with friends over a glass of wine.
Sara says: “We’re very keen for people to feel ownership of this space and to be comfortable walking in and out. Around the time this new building was opened, we held a lot of meetings with the public and this was what people wanted: accessibility, support for local emerging artists, people being made to feel welcome.”
The workers at the centre are always happy to show visitors and tourists around the gallery and talk about upcoming shows. Many of the staff are artists of one kind or another themselves. Ronan Colhoun, for instance, facilitates the Mayo Youth Theatre, which is hosted by the centre and which he feels is “irreplaceable – it’s done so much for the young people locally. And for me!”
Caroline Casey, who has been here since the early days of the new centre, has previously exhibited her paintings in the gallery. She revels in the centre’s sense of team spirit, putting her hand to any sort of work necessary: receptionist, serving in the cafe, putting up posters, showing visitors around exhibitions. “I must get back to my photography!” she says.
Outside his arts centre job, Jim Mulroy is a DJ, community artist and graphic designer. “I love the centre because I love working in a creative environment,” he says.
Tanya is a healer and also works in mosaics. “Being at the centre expands my mind in so many directions,” she says. “It is inspirational and freeing. I feel blessed to have access to so much amazing stuff.”
Jamie Doherty is a carpenter and hangs the art works in the gallery spaces – both fine art and complex installations. He also builds the sets for the stage performances. “Give me a hammer and nails,” he says, “and I can make you any sort of scenery.”
John Weir is into music production and is a DJ, and loves both the variety of art and “the diversity of the people who work at and flow through the centre”.
Philip Cassidy has his office upstairs; a musician himself, he also works for Mayo Music Generation and partners with the centre to run The Core, a creative space for young musicians. “I really appreciate the team at the arts centre,” he says. “It’s a safe, clean environment and the staff are always here to support the young musicians, so they can sign in to use the music room whenever they like – whether to practise alone or get together with others to make music.”
Paul Fox is a keen photographer as well as the marketing manager for the centre. “What I like most about working here is the diversity of everything – the team, the programme, the audiences. So many different groups use the centre – from young dancers to foreign theatre companies, from over-55s to American gospel choirs. Every day, every exhibition, every show is different, and each event brings a different marketing challenge that is both demanding and rewarding. It’s not only a great place to experience creativity and entertainment it’s also a great place to work. I’m excited for what we have coming up and looking forward to seeing more and more new faces using this amazing facility right in the heart of Ballina. The centre is going from strength to strength and it’s only getting better. There’s no other job like it.”
The arts centre director Sean Walsh feels that the whole project is “the coming together of decades of development work.”
He is proud of the eclectic programme of work on offer. “I feel that we have an obligation to the diversity of contemporary practises across all arts forms, as well making it easier for our north Mayo audience to access shows and exhibitions for which, in the past, they have had to travel considerable distances.”
Funding continues to be a central issue. “The project is an ongoing work-in-progress, and we still have a long way to go. The funding needs to be stabilised, and the last few years have been challenging as the country emerges from a state of recession and austerity into one of supposed prosperity. It is a crucial and exciting time for us as we face into the next few years, with the plans that we have in place.”
But with his enthusiastic team, Sean is confident of future success: “We relish the challenge.”
Martin Corcoran, TÚS Supervisor outlined the importance of a vibrant Arts Centre for the town of Ballina: “Mayo North East are delighted to support the Ballina Arts Centre. The Arts centre provides a creative hub for the TÚS participants to gain experience within the creative and community sector.

Ballina Arts Centre
Barrett Street, Ballina.
Tel: 096 73593
Email: ballinaartscentre@gmail.com
Web: www.ballinaartscentre.com