Ballina Arts Centre, which has enjoyed enormous growth and development over the past sixteen years under the stewardship of outgoing Director Sean Walsh, is now preparing for a new era in which all of the community in North Mayo and beyond is invited to come visit and enjoy everything the amenity has to offer.
In a presentation to Ballina MD this week, the new Ballina Arts Centre Director, Paul Cunningham, said the Centre will be reaching out to all in the community through a series of reach-out and education measures and that the important message is that children, as well as adults and those with disabilities, can enjoy galleries and workshops.
Outlining an ambitious plan to further the reach of the Centre through the provision of more arts, music, drama, cultural events and workshops, catering to all tastes, he told Ballina MD members: "My ambition is for the Arts Centre to grow and deepen its relationship with Ballina and North Mayo as a leading Centre.
"I don’t think just because it is a relatively small town in the west of Ireland, that this would not allow us to be hugely ambitious. The Model (Arts Centre ) in Sligo came from similar beginnings and my intention over the next number of years, working with you and the Arts Centre, is to do something similar.
"Where people tend to say things are really bad, I tend to see opportunity, to build on the great work Sean Walsh has done over the last 16 years, and make Ballina Arts centre a destination people will recognise."
