Every person living in Northern Ireland now has an arts facility within a 20 mile radius, according to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI). £33m has been invested in local arts centres by ACNI over the past 15 years, with the aim of providing every person in Northern Ireland with access to a local, dedicated arts centre. Many flagship buildings have been built or refurbished, including the Marketplace Theatre in Armagh City, the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn City, and most recently Strule in Omagh. Belfast’s Ulster Hall and Grand Opera House have both received extensive facelifts. Other building projects in the pipeline include The Crescent and the Lyric (pictured). The MAC, a new Belfast city centre arts venue, is due to be completed in 2011. Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of ACNI, commented that “investment in venues goes further than supporting the local arts; it’s also about contributing to the cultural, social and economic life of our towns and cities”.