The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) is Belfast's main contemporary arts venue, a purpose-built building in the Cathedral Quarter that opened in 2012 and houses two theatres, three gallery spaces, artists' studios, and a café. The building itself — by the architects Hackett Hall McKnight — is an interesting exercise in spatial generosity: the gallery spaces feel large and the circulation through the building is pleasant.
The programme combines contemporary visual art exhibitions (usually strong), theatre, and family events. Entry to the galleries is free. The café on the ground floor is one of the better places in the Cathedral Quarter for coffee and a working lunch. The MAC has been important in anchoring the cultural life of the quarter since it opened.