Arena's TFS structure will become the primary venue for Londonderry, extending its venue capabilities and enabling the city to host the UK City of Culture for 2013, which will present a celebration of Londonderry's culture to local and international audiences through a series of high profile cultural events. Arena's semi-permanent venue that is being built now will remain on the specially cleared, former army base for the entire year.
Without an existing venue large enough to host the variety of events planned throughout the year, Arena was approached by the Department for Social Development and Ilex, the Strategic Investment Board and Central Procurement Directorate.
Grahame Muir, Arena structures and seating managing director explains further, "We have had tremendous success in the past when using our TFS as a semi-permanent venue such as the one year tenure as the Wembley Arena Pavilion and Malta Fairs and Convention Centre which has been in use for five years now. The venue delivers the feel of a permanent facility but offers versatility and functionality for longer term temporary installations such as this."
The 40m x 75m TFS structure, which also incorporates two 15m wide wings for supporting facilities, will provide a flexible arts space for standing and seated events that will present Londonderry as a centre for culture and also become step one in the city's regeneration plan.
(Jim Evans)
