Days Out NI
Theatre & gallery Strabane

The Alley Arts Centre

Free art gallery and a 270-seat theatre in the middle of Strabane.

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OpenBox office Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, plus one…
FreeBook ahead
StrabaneTheatre & gallery
Get directionsOfficial website
30-45 minutesHow long
FreeAdmission
All agesBest for
On siteCafé
On siteParking

The Alley Arts Centre — Free art gallery and a 270-seat theatre in the middle of Strabane.

  • Admission: Art gallery exhibitions are free to view; check the Alley's listings before a special visit.
  • Tickets: Shows are ticketed, priced per show; book through the box office or the Alley's listings.
  • For families: Family shows, workshops and a Christmas pantomime; check current listings.
  • Opening: Box office Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, plus one hour before evening shows.
  • Café: Cafe Horizon - coffees, traybakes, lunches and snacks; licensed bar at evening shows.
  • Best for: Gallery and piazza suit all ages; theatre shows best for school-age kids and up.
Plan your visit

A free gallery and a real theatre under one roof

The art gallery is free to enter and shows changing exhibitions from artists across the UK and Ireland, so it's an easy, no-cost stop when you're passing through. The auditorium seats up to 270 and hosts touring drama, music, comedy and family-friendly shows across the year, with a pantomime at Christmas. The venue also runs creative workshops, and three drama festivals land here annually, including the Strabane Drama Festival and a schools drama festival. Programmes change all the time, so check the Alley's own listings for what's on, dates and prices. Kids tend to remember the panto, the family shows and the bronze pig in the piazza outside.

Free gallery 270-seat theatre Family shows & panto Cafe Horizon Town centre Book shows ahead
Good to know before you go:

Venues like this run year-round seasons of theatre, exhibitions, family shows and workshops, with a pantomime at Christmas and several drama festivals across the year. Programmes and prices change, so check the Alley's own listings for dates and to book.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🎟️Your bookingShows and big exhibitions sell out — book ahead where you can.
  • 💷A bit of pocket moneyFor the café, the shop or a show programme.
  • 🧒An eye on the age guidanceSome shows and galleries suit certain ages best — check first.
  • 📱The what’s-on pageThe programme changes all the time — see what is on the day you go.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Admission
Art gallery exhibitions are free to view; check the Alley's listings before a special visit
Tickets
Shows are ticketed, priced per show; book through the box office or the Alley's listings
Family programming
Family shows, workshops and a Christmas pantomime; check current listings
Best for ages
Gallery and piazza suit all ages; theatre shows best for school-age kids and up
Opening
Box office Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, plus one hour before evening shows
Cafe
Cafe Horizon - coffees, traybakes, lunches and snacks; licensed bar at evening shows
Toilets
On site, including accessible facilities
Parking
On-site parking, plus town-centre parking nearby
Accessibility
Strong disabled access (won a 2009 access award); step-free routes and accessible facilities
How long to allow
30-45 minutes for the gallery and cafe; longer if you're seeing a show
Address
The Alley Arts & Conference Centre, 1A Railway Street, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, BT82 8EF
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Art gallery exhibitions are free to view; check the Alley's listings before a special visit
How do I get tickets?
Shows are ticketed, priced per show; book through the box office or the Alley's listings
Is there anything for kids?
Family shows, workshops and a Christmas pantomime; check current listings
When is it open?
Box office Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, plus one hour before evening shows
Is there a café?
Cafe Horizon - coffees, traybakes, lunches and snacks; licensed bar at evening shows
Getting there

The Alley Arts Centre is at The Alley Arts & Conference Centre, 1A Railway Street, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, BT82 8EF. On-site parking, plus town-centre parking nearby. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the venue

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre officially opened in 2007 as Strabane's main arts venue, bringing together a 270-seat auditorium, an art gallery and a tourist information point. It was designed by architects Glenn Howells and Alan Jones, and the building went on to win the Royal Society of Ulster Architects' Building of the Year in 2009 along with a Green Apple environmental award and an access award.

The site has deep local roots: it was the town's cattle and pig market through the 18th and 19th centuries, and once hosted travelling circuses. That history is nodded to by the bronze pig statue, 'Where Dreams Go', in the piazza out front, known locally as Ambrose.

Today the centre runs as a council arts venue, hosting touring shows, exhibitions and community workshops, plus annual drama and music festivals including the Strabane Drama Festival and the North West Music Festival.