Arklow Arts Centre Going Strong After Five Years
(June 8, 2000)
The the Arklow Community Arts Centre was opened by Robert Ballagh on December 5th., 1995. Since then it has blossemed into an important part of the life and culture of Arklow town, providing an alternative to local pubs. Over twenty exhibitions are now held at the centre every year and there are classes art, art history, yoga and even children's guitar. There are also regular meetings of groups such as the Women's Network and the Arklow Literary and Poetry Society and all kinds of special events.
A good idea of the impact that the Arklow Arts Centre has had on the town can be had from a browse through the comments written in the centre's visitor's books. About ten thousand of these visitors have written comments in one of four visitors books that have been filled over the years and the comments are usually very positive. "I love art and love this!", "Brilliant. Great to have a place", "Interesting and stimulating" - you get the picture.
Over one hundred exhibitions have been held at the centre since it opened, including the regular Eircell/Irish press photography exhibition, various school exhibitions, and the recently successful 'The Way We Were' exhibition of old photographs of the people of Arklow town which was seen by thousands of local people. The centre also hosts exhibitions of local artists and of artwork from the students of local schools.
However it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the Arts Centre. Although greatly supported by FAS the centre is presently in a funding crisis and is looking for local support to keep going. Their fundraising proposal sums up their raison d'etre by saying "The process of individuals joining together to create works of beauty and inspiration for the enjoyment and appreciation of their neighbours makes the community in which it occurs a better one for all". Watching a class of children having fun by learning how to express themselves through art, its hard not to agree.
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