UK Town of Culture nomination 'bittersweet' amid theatre closure

When you drive into the County Tyrone town hoping to become the first UK Town of Culture, the first thing you see are the Tinnies - five 18-foot metal statues, dancers and musicians, performing as cars pass by, travelling onwards.

These are the giants that welcome you to Strabane, a place hoping to perform something of a giant-killing by securing the prize ahead of bigger towns across the UK like Grimsby, Rotherham and Port Talbot.

The town, with 13,000 people about 14 miles from Londonderry in the north west of Northern Ireland, has a rich cultural history.

Singer-songwriter Paul Brady; playwright Brian Friel; solar astronomer Annie Maunder; and Brian Nolan, best known as writer Flann O'Brien, all called Strabane home at one time.

However, the town of culture bid comes at a time when Strabane's main arts centre, the Alley Theatre, is closed due to a water leak - and set to remain shut for much longer than first expected.

The irony isn't lost on the people involved in the arts in the town.

Ciara McCay, director of the Strabane Drama Festival, said the news was "bittersweet in a way", given that the award recognises culture and showcases original storytelling while the Alley Theatre remains closed.

She said theatre runs deep in her family, noting that her father, Aodh McCay, was involved in planning the venue and helped shape its design.

McCay said it is "heartbreaking" that it is not currently open but said she is delighted that the town is being recognised in a positive light.

Comedian Emer Maguire, meanwhile, knows all about it - she had to move two of her shows after the theatre's closure.

"I was so upset, as were the audiences because they had sold out well in advance," she said.

"I've performed there since I was a teenager and it's a wonderful, high-spec venue, so having somewhere like that in Strabane means we're already punching above our weight. I'd like to see continued investment in it.

"Some people feel it would not have taken so long to reopen if it had been a theatre in Derry or Belfast, and I think there is probably some truth in that. Sometimes people forget about us and we get left behind."

For Maguire, this is what the town of culture bid could potentially, in her view, correct.

"Being from Strabane and growing up there gave me a real sense of pride and joy in the town. We know what the town means to us and how great it is, but it's lovely to see that recognised nationally on such a huge scale," Maguire said.

"I'm very proud and very happy, to be honest."

Maguire credits the town with helping her forge a career in comedy and music.

"For such a small town, we have produced an amazing number of musicians, writers, actors, comedians and artists, and there seems to be something about growing up there that breeds creativity.

"For me, I'd love to see investment in the arts that leaves a lasting legacy, like workshops in schools, rehearsal spaces, small performance venues or festivals," she said. Adding that similar programmes had a "huge impact" on her when she was growing up.

"I'd also love young people to know they don't have to leave to be creative."

Martin Gallan agrees when it comes to Strabane's cultural reputation.

"I think it reinforces what people like me have said for years: that Strabane is of huge historical and cultural significance," Gallan said.

Gallan, an uilleann pipe maker and a former president of Strabane's Chamber of Commerce, said the town sometimes "gets a lot of unfair bad press" which can overshadow the "fantastic people who live and work here".

"For quite a small place, we have such a huge amount of amazing musical talent, both traditional and contemporary, who are, in my opinion, some of the best on this island."

The closure of the Alley Theatre, he said, made it a struggle for the town to attract major acts but he hopes a successful town of culture bid would help.

UK Town of Culture is a new Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) competition.

It said it was inspired by the success of the UK City of Culture and aims to "celebrate towns and help to create a lasting cultural legacy".

The government will select the best small, medium and large towns from the applications it receives.

One of these will be named UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive £3m to develop a year-long programme of cultural celebrations while the other two finalists will each receive £250,000.

The new competition - which has seen 15 places selected from almost 400 applications - will run alongside the UK City of Culture 2029.

Coffee shop owners Adrian and Gillian Maxwell said they are delighted the town has been shortlisted.

"I am originally from Derry but we wanted to move back to Strabane and open our business because we do love it here," Gillian said.

"You'll not meet nicer people anywhere, everyone will stop and chat and there is a real community here."

Gillian says she hopes the town can now go on to win the award and be recognised for the lovely place she and her husband both love.

Raymond McGoldrick from McGoldrick Sports welcomed the recognition and said the town could benefit from further investment.

"I was absolutely great to hear the news. Strabane is a fantastic wee place and anybody who does not know about it should certainly come and visit us.

"It's a beautiful wee town and it just has so much to offer."

Diane Faulkner is co-owner of the opticians which has been in business for more than 18 years in the town centre.

"I hope the bid opens up the town to people who maybe don't know about Strabane because it has so many good things going for it.

"Hopefully this can help bring more money into the area and see more improvements to Main Street," she said.