Revised Cultural Programme to combine live and online performances and events

28 projects and over 350 artists to be supported

Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, today approved a revised cultural programme for Galway 2020, Ireland’s European Capital of Culture, ensuring that projects from the original winning bid by Galway can take place. The delivery of the programme has had to be reimagined by the cultural partners in order to take account of changed circumstances owing to COVID-19 and public health guidance. The programme will now involve a combination of physical performance in compliance with prevailing restrictions and online delivery.

Galway 2020 and its dedicated cultural partners, like so many others in the arts and cultural sector, have been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The approval to proceed with the revised cultural programme with many projects online, additional audiences globally as well as nationally can experience the diverse and innovative projects being presented up to March 2021.

The programme, which involves more than 350 Irish artists embraces a range of projects covering theatre, dance, visual art, musical composition and performance, circus and street performance, literature, poetry and film and addresses many of the varied sectors of society, including children, youth and older people, traveller community, people with intellectual and sensory disabilities and hospital patients. The Galway 2020 Schools and Small Towns Big Ideas project with a county reach also remains as part of the revised programme and 7 of the 28 projects are solely in the Irish language or fully bi-lingual. Notable projects include the re-imagining of Gilgamesh by Macnas, which will move to a largely digital format, as well as the outdoor staging of the series of now one-act performances by Druid.

Minister Martin said: “I am committed to enabling the public sharing of the immense work on so many exciting new projects which the Galway 2020 cultural partners embarked on many years ago. Bringing the Galway 2020 Programme to audiences in innovative ways will serve to highlight the creativity of Galway and Ireland on the global stage”.

The Minister thanked the Board and staff of Galway 2020 for their application and imagination in developing a revised programme which could be delivered in line with public health guidance.  “COVID-19 continues to pose a huge challenge to our artistic and cultural community.  At the same time, the value of arts and culture has never been more evident than in recent months.  I commend all involved in Galway 2020 for delivering this reimagined Programme in such challenging circumstances”. 

Today’s announcement of support for Galway 2020 follows the commitment on 16 June last of an additional €25 million for the arts sector to support it through this extremely difficult period.

ENDS

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