Published: Friday, 19th February, 2010 5:45pm

Arts centre plans to be ready for approval

by Danielle Harney

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A business plan and outline architect drawings for an arts centre in Tullamore will be presented to the Department of the Environment for approval by the summer.

That's according to the local committee which was set up last August to deliver an arts centre to the town, using the €2 million grant allocated and ring-fenced by the government under the ACCESS programme.

From now until the submission is made, the committee will engage with local art groups and interested parties for their input into what facilities should be included in the centre.

Since last August the committee visited 14 arts centres around the country to review their operation, and has established a limited company known as Tullamore Community Arts Centre Limited.

Following these visits the committee has agreed that the centre should have the following: a central town location that is easily accessible with parking nearby; an auditorium of between 150-200 seats; space for displaying art exhibitions; rooms for use by community groups and artists for drama, art and music classes and finally, café and bar facilities.

The committee is made up of four representatives from the arts; Fionnuala Corrigan, Tom Farrell, Dominic Doheny and Des Doyle, two Directors of Services from Offaly County Council; Sean Murray and Declan Kirrane, county councillors Molly Buckley and Sinead Dooley, and Tullamore town councillors Tommy McKeigue and Declan Harvey.