Mareel
| Location | Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Owner | Shetland Arts |
| Type | Music, Cinema, Community education |
| Opened | 25 August 2012 |
| Website | |
| Mareel | |
Mareel is a multi-purpose entertainment venue located on the waterfront of Lerwick, the capital of Shetland. Opening in 2012, the facility includes a music venue, cinema, conference rooms and educational facilities.
Mareel is designed as a multi use venue and hub for the creative industries. The site is near the new Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick.Shetland Arts are the lead agency behind the project, Gareth Hoskins were the architects and D.I.T.T. the building contractors. The name means "phosphorescence on the ocean".
The main performance auditorium has a standing capacity of about 650 and a seated capacity of around 250, with a balcony seating a further 85 people. There are 2 screening areas. The main cinema has a seated capacity of around 160 with a smaller second cinema seating around 40.
The recording studio has a control room and live area. The split level cafe bar incorporates additional performance areas. The rehearsal area(s) have sprung floors making them suitable for music and dance use. The multi media production suite has facilities for film, TV, music, graphics and website production.
Shetland College UHI began delivering music courses in Mareel in the 2012/13 academic year.
Timeline of key dates in the project's history
Mareel has attracted finance from sources including
Opinions on Mareel are split amongst many in Shetland
Motivations for building Mareel include the development of the music, film and creative industries, tourism, educational opportunities, job creation and the provision of leisure and education facilities for the community, particularly young people.
Some local businesses, particularly Lerwick pub and night club owners via the Shetland Licensed Trade Association, claimed that Mareel would negatively affect their profits and an anonymous State Aid complaint was submitted to the European Commission on 17 July 2008. Shetland Arts countered these claims by providing evidence that Mareel would "generate activity and vitality into the night-time economy of Lerwick, to the benefit of all including the local hoteliers, publicans and restaurants". The State Aid complaint was not upheld.
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