Linenhall seeks donations

The Linenhall Arts Centre is appealing to the general public for donations at a time of financial concern as 2023 comes to a close.

A registered charity, and one of Ireland’s oldest arts centres, the centre is located on Linenhall Street in the heart of Castlebar and provides an arts service to all in the locality. Welcoming over 17,000 people through its doors in 2023, the Linenhall offers a wide range of high-quality arts experiences and engagements to audiences of all ages, and supports local and community projects, encouraging access to the arts for everyone.

Support from the Arts Council of Ireland, Mayo Arts Office and Castlebar Municipal District are the organisation's main sources of funding, along with donations from audiences and the general public. Rising costs, a change in audience attendance post-Covid, and a significant drop in funding from Castlebar Municipal District for 2023 have resulted in financial challenges this year, says the centre's management.

“As a registered charity, we rely heavily on donations and funding. We are a small team that works hard to fight for the ongoing presence of the arts in Mayo because we feel strongly about the service we provide to the community," said the Linenhall’s executive director Bernadette Greenan.

"We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to access high-quality arts experiences and this is reflected in our mission ‘Arts for All'.”

The Linenhall is appealing to local businesses and the general public to support the charity by donating either through a one-off donation by post, in person or online, or via a monthly donation.