Alytus Cultural Centre

Alytus Cultural Centre

The Grand Hall of the Alytus Cultural Centre is a very spacious, elegant, classical theatre-style hall with a capacity of 782 people. This hall is not only the venue for city events, concerts and plays, but also for circus performances – one of the few circus studios in Lithuania.

Recently, one of the most important elements of the stage infrastructure – the lifting mechanisms – has been renewed in the Alytus Cultural Centre. The new upper stage mechanisation system was designed and installed by Scenos Techninis Servisas (StS).

“The Medvilnės Culture Palace – the name of the Alytus Culture Centre at that time – opened its doors in 1980. Since the opening of the centre, the old lifting mechanisms have been repaired over and over again, but the day came when renewal became inevitable. The system no longer complied with modern Technical Regulations, and the control cabinets and wiring were technologically obsolete. In order to ensure the quality and safe use of the stage equipment, it was necessary to install new lifting mechanisms and their control systems that comply with modern regulations,” says Julius Gružinskas, Head of StS Design Department.

The activities of the Alytus Cultural Centre are wide-ranging, and the scenographic elements are of paramount importance. So here The Alytus Cultural Centre is equipped with as many as 30 lifting lines: 5 lighting bar and 25 scenery lifting lines.
The system is equipped with reliable lifts from the Latvian manufacturer Winwood, which are designed for heavy use and are also extremely precise and fast.

Quick set changes allow to optimise preparations for performances and other shows. With the double height of the stage tower, all the necessary scenery can be prepared and raised above the stage, and with so many lines, it’s possible to prepare the set for several shows at once. Scenery can also be changed on stage in real time as the performance progresses. Winwood lifts comply with the highest European safety standards, making them safe to use for both technical staff and performers.

The control system, which allows the movement of each element to be coordinated, has been designed specifically for this venue and was designed and built by StS specialists. The lifting lines can be operated in a coordinated manner or individually, remotely via a dedicated control panel.

The modern mechanical system not only facilitates the work of the technical staff, but also opens up new possibilities for the activities of the Alytus Cultural Centre. Firstly, it allows local artists to create dynamic scenography, lighting design and complex staging ideas; and secondly, it allows touring collectives to be invited to the venue with high technical requirements.