The Nerve Centre, 7-8 Magazine Street, Derry is the North west’s premiere Multimedia Arts Centre and entertainment venue.

Established 1990, primarily to unlock young people’s creative potential, this production house for the creation of new music, film, video, animation and digital media has steadily built A reputation as a formidable live music venue.

The purpose built live performance venue, linked to a 24 track recording studio and full broadcast AVID editing suite, is home to a musically eclectic programme, attracting up to 40,000 music fans each year.

The 60-seat cinema boasts surround sound and features an extensive programme of family and cultural cinema. Screenings and presentations cost as little as £1.50 and an annual cinema membership fee can be bought for a mere £15. The cinema is also available for hire for presentations and private screenings.

Education and outreach programmes form a large part of what the Nerve Centre does. A choice of full time and part time courses are available in sound recording, MIDI, graphic design, web production, DJing and many others.

Priding itself upon being a creative learning centre, the Nerve Centre aim to provide training, support and a programme of creative activities for teachers wishing to see their pupils benefit from the new opportunities that the digital age presents.

Information and bookings for all Nerve Centre events or classes can be acquired by phoning 028 71 260 562, going online at www.nerve-centre.org.uk or by visiting the Nerve Centre in person.

The Nerve Centre have recently installed an online booking box office system called Databox which has revolutionised how they take their bookings.

By capturing customer data such as gender, age and geographical location, box office staff can build a detailed profile of patrons and personalise how and what information their patrons receive.

Chief Executive, Pearse Moore describes the benefits that the new system brings.
‘Anyone who has bought for Bell X1 in the past may want to see an upcoming Duke Special show. With this system we can send an e-mail about the Duke Special gig to those people who bought for Bell X1.’

In order to sign up for the Nerve Centre mailing list patrons must supply their personal details. With only 2,000 people signed to the Nerve Centre mailing list and more than 100,000 people benefiting from the work the Nerve Centre does annually, Moore believes that the Nerve Centre online customer database is only set to grow.

‘The system is important when looking at post code/geographical location.’ Explains Moore. ‘Say we discover 80% of our audience come from BT48 and only 20% attend from BT47, that means we can target those pockets where people don’t attend so much.’

Aside from identifying areas of neglect or even social need and deprivation, the new box office system can also target people for other events at the Nerve Centre besides music and film, like workshops and courses.

‘The system improves the service we provide to our existing audience but the real benefit is that it identifies and helps us address the potential new audience.’

‘Unlike large organisations like the Grand Opera House or the Millennium Forum, it’s difficult for us to implement that high level of customer service and care that they do when we are not funded to that level,’ explains Moore. ‘What we need to do is train our staff properly on what resources we have.’

The Seagate Foyle Film Festival is the centrepiece in the Nerve Centre’s commitment to film and has been known to attract up to 12,000 people in recent years. Now in its 19th year, the festival is the North west’s premiere film event and in 2005 it made a total of 215 screenings.

In the summer of 2006 several other schemes took place relating to film. Included were the First Light Film Initiative, which helps to fund and inspire the making of short digital films by young people; Beckett on Film, a programme of films based on the work of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett and Cinema Polska, which aims to bring a slice of Polish culture to Derry.
The Nerve Centre also works hard to actively collaborate with other organisations to benefit the local community. In partnership with the South Eastern Education and Library Board, Studio On provides children and young people with an accessible and interactive space for training and experimentation in creative learning, new media and the arts.

If you wish to further your own creative potential or just want to enjoy a good night out, Derry’s Nerve Centre is the place to go.

Check www.nerve-centre.org.uk for upcoming Nerve Centre shows and information. You can contact the box office on 028 71 260 562, which is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm and on Saturdays 10.00am to 5.00pm.

If you would like to receive regular updates on all Nerve Centre events, join the free mailing list by sending your name, postal, telephone and email details to

Shauna McNeilly, The Nerve Centre, 7-8 Magazine Street, Derry, BT48 6HJ or e-mail s.mcneilly@nerve-centre.org.uk.