The Republic

This year's crop of theatres:

Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire: Opening tomorrow. A purpose-built venue for the performing arts, with 332 seats in proscenium format, 450 seats in the round. Small studio/ rehearsal space and visual art gallery, and bar space upstairs.

Architects: Scott Tallon and Walker, with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Cost: £4 million (£3 million from county council, including CDIS funding; £1 million from Arts Council).

Theatre director: Karen Louise Hebden, who plans to originate four in-house productions per year, and to receive six touring productions.

Briary Gap Culture Centre, Macroom, Co Cork:

Opened in April on the site of the old Palace cinema. A general arts centre with a 200-seat auditorium with fixed seating.

Cost: £780,000 from combined Cork County Council, Department of Arts and Heritage and urban district council funds. Revenue funded for one year by the Arts Council.

Manager: Anne Dunne.

O'Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College, Dublin:

Opened in August, with funds raised by the school. Named after its principal donor, Tony O'Reilly. Retractable seating for 392-530 people.

Architect: Vincent Ducatez of Murray O'Laoire.

Manager: Niall O'Driscoll.

Revenue: Applying to Arts Council for revenue funding.

Project Arts Centre, Dublin:

Reopened in June. Redesigned and expanded, with two auditoria.

Cost: £3.5 million, from the European Regional Development Fund, the Arts Council, Department of Environment and Temple Bar Properties.

Revenue grant of £500,000 from the Arts Council.

Artistic director: Kathy McArdle

Bank of Ireland Theatre, NUI Galway:

Opened in July. A 110-seat theatre intended mainly for college use. Funded by the college.

Arts officer: Emily Cullen

Opening next year:

Newbridge, Co Kildare:

Due to open in February/March. A new county arts centre and library headquarters for Kildare, including a flexible 200seat theatre.

Cost: £2.4 million , from combined Department of Environment, Department of Arts and Heritage and Kildare County Council funds. Applying for revenue funding from county council and the Arts Council.

Manager: Maeve O'Brien.

Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15:

Major multi-media arts centre, with 250-seat theatre, accommodating 550 standing, plus an 80-seat studio. Opening in February, to be launched officially in April.

Cost: Just under £4 million (£1.1 million from CDIS funds, £2 million from Fingal County Council, the rest from local fundraising initiatives). Theatre consultant Tony O Dalaigh estimates that the centre will need an annual budget of £700,000, which is currently being applied for.

Manager: to be appointed.

Inis Oirr, Aran Islands:

Arts centre in renovated co-op building, including a 75- to 80-seat "theatre in miniature" to specialise in Irish-language drama. Opening in March/April.

Cost: £45,000, from combined Udar as na Gaeilge, Arts Council and Department of Arts and Heritage funds.

Director: Val Balance.

Ballymun Arts and Community Resource Centre, Dublin 11:

Developed by local arts and community groups, this will include a 220-seat theatre and 50-seat studio space. Opening in June, with an official launch in September.

Cost: £5.9 million overall, as part of the Government's urban development programme, with 0.9 million coming from Department of Arts and Heritage.

Arts manager: Jean Brennan

New Excel Centre, Tipperary:

A combined arts and heritage centre with a 380-seat theatre/cinema. Opening in February on site of former cinema.

Cost: 4.5 million, from a combination of community fundraising (£2 million) and Tipperary County Council, Bord Failte, and Department of Arts and Heritage funding (1.3 million).

General manager: Bill Flynn

In the pipeline:

Dublin City University Arts Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin 9:

Opening in April 2002, the arts centre will include a 375- to 400-seat auditorium with orchestra pit and fly tower, and a 120seat studio space.

Architect: Andre Wejchert.

Cost: £27 million, raised from private donations to the university, with £5 million from the Exchequer.

Chair of Arts Advisory Group: Marie Louise O'Donnell.

Abbey Theatre:

A £50 million redesign, on its own site or elsewhere, for the National Theatre (Abbey and Peacock), to open - hopefully - in time for the theatre's centenary in 2004.

Barrow Street, Dublin:

A major performing arts facility for Dublin's docklands, for which a feasibility study is currently being conducted. It is possible the Abbey Theatre may relocate here.

Among the applications for ACCESS funds are proposals for new theatre venues in: Birr, Co Offaly; Thurles and Nenagh in Co Tipperary; Moat, Co Westmeath; Youghal, Co Cork; Carlow town.