Mayo arts centre and National Learning Network team up for inclusive coffee shop
New Castlebar venture will give trainees practical hospitality experience while creating a welcoming community space
A new inclusive coffee shop is set to open at The Linenhall arts centre in Castlebar through a partnership with Rehab Group’s National Learning Network (NLN).
The collaboration will see NLN trainees operate a coffee shop and hospitality service within the arts centre’s historic building. The initiative will provide trainees practical work experience and opportunities to develop skills in a real-world setting.
The project brings together two organisations committed to inclusion, community participation and creating opportunities for people to reach their potential.
National Learning Network provides education and training for people with disabilities and others who may need additional support to access employment.
For The Linenhall, a registered charity and social enterprise in the heart of Castlebar, the partnership represents a further step in its commitment to accessibility and community engagement.
The centre is more than a performance venue, serving as a shared space where people can meet, connect and participate in cultural life.
The previous café at The Linenhall, which was popular with visitors, closed in January 2025 after failing to recover from losses experienced during the Covid pandemic. The new partnership aims to establish a more sustainable offering that will appeal to Castlebar residents and visitors.
Fiona Neary, director of operations at The Linenhall, welcomed the collaboration and praised Rehab and National Learning Network for their vision.
She said working with Maeve Earley, Rehab’s project lead, had been a pleasure, adding that her commitment and enthusiasm had helped bring the project to life.
“We believe this partnership has the potential to be something really special, not only for the trainees involved, but for The Linenhall and Castlebar as a whole,” Ms Neary said.
She said the initiative brought hospitality, skills development, inclusion and the arts together in a practical way.
The Linenhall is also documenting the development of the partnership to share its learning with others. The goal is to record the challenges, successes and lessons involved in combining a training-led hospitality service with an arts venue, allowing organisations in both the arts and rehabilitation sectors to explore how similar initiatives could work elsewhere.
Other arts centres have already expressed interest in the model.
“This is about more than opening a coffee shop,” Ms Neary said. “It is about demonstrating what can happen when organisations think differently, share their expertise and work together towards a common purpose.”
She said the centre hopes its experience would help other organisations consider how the arts, training and social enterprise could work together to create more inclusive communities.
The new café is expected to benefit NLN trainees, audiences and the wider Castlebar community, while making The Linenhall an even more welcoming place to meet, connect and enjoy the arts.