This year's crop of theatres:

Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown, Co Tyrone:

Opened February 2000. A 351-seat auditorium which can be reduced to accommodate smaller audiences. Also includes hospitality and meeting rooms, a cafe and bar.

Cost: £1.6 million (awarded £1,125,000). Manager: Tony McCance

Market Place Theatre, Armagh city:

Opened in March 2000. The main theatre can seat up to 400, the studio theatre 120. There is a bar/cafe, restaurant, and (non-dedicated) exhibition space.

Cost: £5 million (Armagh City and District Council received £3 million and, subsequently, another £672,452 from the Arts Lottery).

Manager: Vincent McCann

Opening next year:

Derry city:

New theatre is due to open in May, 2001. Theatre to seat 1,000, but a special roof will mean that capacity can be reduced to suit different events. Also included will be studio and rehearsal rooms, bars and restaurants.

Cost: It is estimated that the final cost of building will be £12.5 million. Awarded £2.6 million in 1998 from the Arts Lottery.

Omagh, Co Tyrone:

Designs for an arts centre are in the process of being completed. The centre will include a 400-seat theatre which can also be used as a concert hall, and will have state-of-the-art acoustics to ensure that it functions effectively in both roles. There will be a studio area with 125 seats which can also be used for debates, recitals, public meetings and films. Also planned are a print workshop with darkroom and photographic facilities; a number of individual artists' studios; an exhibition space; two music rooms; a dance studio; rehearsal rooms; and cafe and bars.

Cost: £9 million (estimated). The new venue has been awarded £4 million from the Arts Lottery.

Ballymena, Co Antrim:

Scheduled to open in mid-2003. The aim is to refurbish the Town Hall to include a 450-seat auditorium which will be suitable for theatre and concerts. There are also plans for workshop, gallery and photographic spaces. The Town Hall will retain its civic function as a council meeting-place. In a related development, the council has received £3.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to build a museum adjacent to the Town Hall as part of a "cultural quarter".

Cost: £13 million approximately. Awarded £2 million in Arts Lottery funding.

Lisburn, Co Antrim:

Theatre seating 400, plus studio seating 100. No further details are forthcoming from the council.