Belfast's new £18 million Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) will host an exhibition of art by LS Lowry and a new Titanic play, it has been announced.

The centre will open in the city's Cathedral Quarter on April 20. It contains two theatres, three art galleries, a dance studio, rehearsal space and a cafe-bar.

The first drama in the new centre will be a specially-commissioned play about the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, by playwright Owen McCafferty.

It uses evidence from the British wreck commissioners' inquiry to tell the personal stories of survivors.

As well as paintings by LS Lowry and William Conor, the galleries will host exhibitions by local film-maker Nicholas Keogh and Dublin artist Maria McKinney when the centre opens.

MAC replaces the Old Museum Arts Centre, OMAC, which was established at Belfast's College Square North in 1990.

In August 2007, Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep gave her support to the MAC project to encourage donations.