The Linenhall Arts Centre started Life in 1976 as the Education Centre located in the old Methodist Church on the Mall in Castlebar. It was funded by the Department of Education and set up as a pilot project to take temporary exhibitions from the important collections in the National Museum, the National Gallery and the National Library. But quite quickly the Centre also began to develop its own programme of exhibitions and events, focusing on the contemporary arts and on bringing quality performances into the area. In 1986 the centre moved to its present home in the Linen Hall. When the pilot project was reviewed a commitment was made to continue providing an arts service for the area and in 1990 the Arts Council came on board to fund the newly formed Linenhall Arts Centre.