General Features

mac is keen to meet people who have worked at the centre over the years or been closely associated – for example working on ticket office, in the café or as a tutor or contributing as a member of the Company, Management Council or Board.

The Arena Theatre at mac in 1953

Maybe you are an artist who has exhibited at mac or maybe you performed at mac as an actor, musician or comedian. Alumni are invited to join staff and old friends for a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

The tea-party will also be your final chance to view, and maybe contribute to, the archive exhibition 'Do you remember the first time?', curated by Rob Hewitt and Simon Redgrave, currently on show in mac's public spaces. The exhibition remembers more that 40 years of work at mac exploring memories from audiences, artists and staff past and present.

Impression of the mac building project

Online archive

Tea-party attendees will be able to contribute their memories and pictures to an on-going celebration of mac which will appear online throughout the centre’s closure. The online archive will be a space to remember mac's history alongside news and up-dates on construction work as the new mac begins to take shape.

Dorothy Wilson Director at mac said: "We are looking back at mac's history in order that we can establish a shared legacy with mac’s audiences, staff and all those people who have been involved in mac in some way over the last 45 years.

Artists impression of mac

"This shared legacy will provide us with a spring board to the future, it will remind us of mac's early ambition and why it is so important that the building project preserves this legacy whilst also securing the future of the centre for generations to come."

To secure your place at the tea-party and to find out more details RSVP to: alumni@macarts.co.uk or leave your name and contact details by calling 0121 446 3376.

New mac

At a total cost of £13.6million, work on the mac and sampad building project will begin in spring 2008 with the newly refurbished, and much improved, arts centre re-opening in autumn 2009.

mac

Jointly funded by Arts Council England, Birmingham City Council and a mac and sampad fundraising campaign, the development will dramatically improve physical access creating a more effective and efficient arts centre.

Full listings for exhibitions, events, cinema and courses for the closing season at mac called 'Foundations' can be found at the usual web address: www.macarts.co.uk.