£18m MAC arts centre opening programme of events revealed
Belfast's new £18m Metropolitan Arts centre - MAC - will host an exhibition of art by LS Lowry and a new Titanic play as part of its opening programme.
The centre will open its doors in the city's Cathedral Quarter on 20 April 2012.
It contains two theatres, three art galleries, a dance studio, rehearsal space and a cafe-bar.
The initial programme of events in the centre was revealed in Belfast on Friday.
The first drama in the new centre will be a specially commissioned play about the aftermath of the Titanic disaster by playwright Owen McCafferty.
It uses evidence from the British wreck commissioners' enquiry to tell the personal stories of survivors.
As well as paintings by L S Lowry and William Conor, the galleries will host exhibitions by local film-maker Nicholas Keogh and Dublin artist Maria McKinney when the centre opens.
MAC replaces the Old Museum Arts Centre, OMAC, which was established at Belfast's College Square North in 1990.
In August 2007, Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep gave her support to the MAC project to encourage donations.