Funding of €364,000 has been allocated by the Department of Tourism, through Fáilte Ireland, under the 2019 Multi-Annual and Interim Festival Programmes including €300,000 for Galway International Arts Festival; €16,000 for Galway Film Fleadh; €8,500 for Clifden Arts Festival; €30,000 for Galway international Oyster and Seafood Festival and €10,000 for the Vodafone Comedy Carnival Galway.
Laochra Ceoil Cellissimo
Los Angeles based conductor and composer Eimear Noone, a Galway native, will be honoured at Music for Galway’s Fundraising Gala on 1st March at Hotel Meyrick. Noone will receive the inaugural Laochra Ceoil Cellissimo Award. As a conductor she has led the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Symphony Orchestra. She is also an award winning composer of music for video games World of Warcraft and Warlords of Draenor.
Creative Direction for Galway 2020
Galway 2020’s overall artistic direction will be led by Artichoke, a creative company which has been at the forefront of the arts and culture industry for many years. Good communication is key to Artichoke’s success. Because their work is free and out of doors, they are never in full control of their venue and so work in partnership with lots of different artists, institutions and interest groups. Helen Marriage, CEO and Artistic Director of Artichoke, has been responsible for some of Britain’s largest and unique cultural events, spectacles and arts performances. She will personally focus on the creative direction of Galway 2020 while her Artichoke colleague, Sarah Coop, will oversee fundraising.
Handel’s Messiah at Cathedral
Tomorrow evening, Handel’s Messiah will be performed at the Cathedral by the Irish Baroque Orchestra and Resurgam Choir with guest director Robert Hollingworth, Soprano Anna Devlin, counter-tenor William Purefoy, tenor Dean Power and baritone Alex Ashworth. Presented by Music for Galway this annual production is a glorious and hugely popular event. This performance tells the universal story of triumph over trial where life’s sorrows and despairs are met by hope and joy.
New Spatial Strategy Agreed for North & West
The Northern & Western Regional Assembly last week formally adopted a draft of the first Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy which will help plot Galway’s development up to 2040. Over that period the population of Galway city & county is set to grow by over 50%. A projected growth of over 180,000 people is expected to bring the entire population of the Northern and Western Region to over one million people. Galway City, the medtech capital of Ireland, is seen as the primary driver of urban growth with increased pressure on Infrastructure, housing and other key services. Sligo, Athlone and Letterkenny are designated as regional growth centres. If adopted after a ten-week public consultation, the plan will provide a detailed roadmap within the National Planning Framework specific to the regions needs and strengths.
Progress on Dyke Road and Black Box site
The City Council’s plans for the Dyke Road and Black Box site can now move ahead following an agreement in principle with the government’s new Land Development Agency. Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, said the plans for Dyke Road will be funded by the City Council and would involve a mixed development including cultural space as well as residential, commercial and car parking.
Expansion of Royal Irish Academy of Music
Public funding of €9m was recently announced towards the €20m redevelopment of The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) at its Dublin site at Westland Row. Almost €6m has already been raised from private sources. The project is due to open in 2021 and includes a new 300 seat concert hall, a dedicated opera studio and rehearsal space, 75 teaching rooms with adaptable acoustics, a new library, a sonic hub for electronic music and a dedicated music therapy facility. Third level student numbers will increase from 150 to 250 and school age student numbers will double to 3000.
Further Personnel Changes at Galway 2020
CEO of Galway International Arts Festival John Crumlish and former European Commissioner Máire Geoghegna Quinn have resigned from the Board of Galway 2020. Other changes include the secondment of Patricia Philbin from her role as the City Council’s Director of Services to the role of CEO following the recent resignation of Hannah Kiely. Ms Philbin had played a pivotal role in the winning of the Capital of Culture bid.
Druid withdraws play from Galway 2020 Programme
Druid Theatre has announced that its planned project for Galway 2020 Middle Island has been withdrawn due to funding and scheduling issues.
Music Lessons in Moycullen
The development of a multi-campus approach to the provision of music education in the city has commenced with Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe now providing piano and violin classes at Scoil Mhuire in Moycullen. The School has been a home for Colourstrings training for some years and the development of these new classes is a welcome and natural progression to music performance. Lessons are open to students in the community as well as to pupils in Scoil Mhuire. All enquires to admin@mcng.ie.