More than 300 people turned out for the official opening of the The Arts Centre (Dunmow) in Haslers Lane on Sunday June 3. People cheered as Carol James, the Mayor of Great Dunmow cut the ribbon and declared the centre open. The centre s main aim is to en

More than 300 people turned out for the official opening of the The Arts Centre (Dunmow) in Haslers Lane on Sunday June 3.

People cheered as Carol James, the Mayor of Great Dunmow cut the ribbon and declared the centre open.

The centre's main aim is to encourage people of all ages and abilities to be creative by bringing them together in the new Community Arts Centre.

Staff at the arts centre hope to broaden people's abilities while giving them new skills and confidence, with the precedence of occupying young people's spare time.

Jacky Rom, director of The Arts Centre (Dunmow), said: "The development of this major facility has been made possible by a lot of hard work, especially by The Dunmow Youth Action Committee that has fund-raised more than £8000 to make the project happen.

"The centre caters for a vast array of activities, from Scene II Theatre School, which is open seven days a week, through to arts and craft classes, which are being held all through the summer holidays.

"The Arts Centre will be a hive of activities each and every day."

With five studios all available to hire on an hourly or regular basis, The Arts Centre is hoping to encourage all types of groups to use the facilities. A call has even gone out for local artists to display their artwork.

Already they have booked karate, pilates, and mother and toddler classes, adult tap and musical theatre and salsa and ballroom, and body sculpture. But, explains Mrs Rom, there is room for lots more.

Throughout the whole of the summer the centre is open for half day workshops in a vast array of arts and craft classes, each two hour session will be £10 per session.

Alongside that, the Scene II Theatre School is offering many one day workshops in dance, drama, stage fighting, stomp and even an X-Factor week where everyone will have an audition, then to boot camp and a live final, in front of an audience.

It is hoped The Arts Centre will eventually have a 120 seat studio theatre that all the community will be able to use, but this will require more than £70,000 to be raised for this to happen.

To find out more of any of the above activities, please call The Arts Centre on: 01371 878020, or e-mail romeasycasting@aol.com