A whole weekend of celebrations took place in September to mark the occasion and to kick off a year of fundraising activities designed to help the arts centre increase its artistic, education and access work.

The weekend featured a melting pot of free events and performances including: Andy Manley’s internationally acclaimed show My House, a filmic tour of the building presented by Fish and Game and a specially designed exhibition by artist Brian Hartley. There were also children’s taster workshops covering theatre and dance and a nostalgic cinema screening of the first film to be screened at macrobert in 1971: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes - complete with 30p ticket prices.

Daen Yer Turn? invited friends of macrobert past and present to share their memories and reflections on the centre.

‘One of my abiding memories of macrobert is standing outside the big doors in the main foyer and watching the faces of the audience as they came out after a good evening – whether it was a great film, jazz concert or a theatre show – it reminded those of us working long hours there what it was all about.’ Roy McEwan, macrobert Director 1982 – 1991

'I was in Stirling with the Royal Shakespeare Company when you were only 7 years old. We’ve both been busy since, so that’s good. What is less good is, that I haven’t been back since 1978! All my best wishes on being 40, hoping to see you again soon.' - Sir Ian McKellen

With the birthday celebrations under their belt, macrobert are now preparing for their autumn and winter season - the first to be fully programmed by Artistic Director Liam Sinclair since he took up the post in September 2010.

‘I have been with macrobert for almost a year now and in that time have really come to appreciate what a special role we play in the arts scene of Scotland, but also the recognition we have on an international stage. macrobert really is a special place and it is a fantastic privilege to lead such an exciting venue for creative adventures!’ – Liam Sinclair

Autumn / Winter Programme Preview

Events to look out for in the Autumn / Winter programme include: Sell a Door Theatre Company’s production of the William Golding classic Lord of the Flies; Stirling University’s Drama Society return with their  biannual comedy festival; Catherine Wheels present KES, a new interpretation of A Kestrel for a Knave; Occasional Caberet's Apocalypse; BandBazi's new aerial drama Mindwalking; and Tony Roper directs a brand new version of his much loved play The Steamie.  

More About macrobert

Originally created to promote the cultural ethos of Stirling University, macrobert underwent a £5 million refurbishment in 2002 and became Scotland’s first dedicated arts centre for children. This has seen stars such as Billy Boyd, Dame Judy Dench and Calvin Harris appear at the centre to support its work in the sector. macrobert gained independence from Stirling University in 2008.

In 1995 the oscar winning movie Braveheart had its European Premiere at macrobert with Mel Gibson and Catherine Zeta-Jones treading the red carpet.

Share This Article