A leading arts venue in the south of the island is set to open its doors this week.

The Erin Arts Centre welcomed people through its doors for the first time since the lockdown forced the closure of the venue at the end of March.

For now, the arts centre is offering screenings of major films and classical music concerts and documentaries, and opened with a showing of the First World War film 1917 on Wednesday.

Coming up later this month will be a screening of ’In Search of Haydn’, a look at the life of the Austrian composer, this Sunday from 3pm, followed bychildren’s film ’Farmageddon’ on Wednesday, July 29, from 2pm.

The re-opening also gives the public the chance to see the current art exhibition, ’From Cathedrals to Cats’, by the local artist Stephen Free, which is on display in the James Mellon gallery at the centre.

Stephen opened his exhibition at the end of February and was due to run until the end of April.

By his agreement, his colourful and comical mixed-media creations of animals and his architectural pencil line drawings of British cathedrals have hung on the walls ever since.

’I am pleased to say that my exhibition has reopened and will run until September 11,’ said Stephen.

Stephen’s artwork will remain on the walls of the Erin Arts Centre until Friday, September 11, meaning his work will have been up for more than half the year and leading Stephen to ask ’Perhaps this makes it the island’s longest running art exhibition?’

The Erin Arts Centre is open from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4.30pm.

To book tickets for any of the films, contact the box office on 832662.