Let’s Visit The Arts Centre is a book for children and adults, where the reader can climb the stairs of an exciting new arts centre for the first time. See the curator transform a gallery for an exhibition. Watch a play come to life in the theatre. Choose an art-themed cake in the café. All part of a day’s visit to the arts centre.

To mark the publication of this introduction to The MAC, the illustrations in this book, by David Haughey, are being exhibited at La Casa di Corto Maltese, during the launch of the 54th Venice Biennale.

Hugo Pratt (1927-1995) was an Italian artist and cartoonist, whose best-known character is the existentialist adventurer, Captain Corto Maltese. Pratt was born in Rimini, but his life mostly evolved around the city of Venice; two of his stories are set in Venice, The Angel in the Window of Orient and Fable of Venice; many references to Venice can be found in other stories too.

The House of Corto Maltese is the only museum dedicated to the author and his most famous character. Besides a wide range of reproductions of Pratt’s drawings, historical photographs, ethnic objects and original serigraphs, La Casa di Corto Maltese hosts temporary art exhibitions, creative and educational laboratories in keeping with Corto Maltese’s adventurous and explorative spirit.

Published by The MAC, Belfast 2011
in association with La Casa di Corto Maltese
Produced by Factotum
Printed in Italy by Grafiche AZ
Illustrations by David Haughey