- Breaking Bread
- Furnace Festival
- Future Landscapes
- Galway 2020
- Making Waves
- Small Towns Big Ideas
- Symphonic Waves
- The Curiosity Trail
A Lookback at 2018
26.12.2018As 2018 draws to a close, we take a lookback at our year’s highlights
JANUARY
Small Towns Big Ideas Open Call
Small Towns Big Ideas, a Galway 2020 flagship programme, launches with an open call to all county and city community organisations and projects.
MARCH
Galway 2020 & RTE Partnership
RTÉ announced as lead national media partner for Galway 2020.
Rijeka 2020 & Galway 2020
Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia H.E. Mr Ivan Mašina visits Galway 2020 to discuss connections with Rijeka 2020
APRIL
TG4 Partnership
Major partnership for Galway 2020 and TG4 announced
Ambassador Programme
Galway 2020’s Ambassador Programme is launched, with Gerald Lawless, the brains behind Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, announced as our first ambassador.
Project Ireland 2040 Funding
Allocation of €15m for Galway 2020 announced as a part of Project Ireland 2040.
An Taoiseach Visits Galway 2020
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visits Galway 2020 headquarters, where he was briefed on the Galway 2020 programme.
Fáilte Ireland Meitheal Global Trade Fair
Over the two days, Galway 2020 met with 65 international tourist buyers, who are interested in bringing tourists and independent travellers to Ireland during 2020.
Breaking Bread
Dozens of nationalities take part in Galway 2020’s Breaking Bread as a part of Galway Food Festival
MAY
51 Small Towns Big Ideas Announced
After almost 140 applications for Small Towns Big Ideas projects, funding for 51 projects from across the city and county was announced.
Symphonic Waves Open Call
May sees the Galway 2020 project, Symphonic Wave’s open call for young string musicians to take part in the ensemble.
AUGUST
Woodford Furnace Festival
Supported by Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas programme, for the first time in almost 250 years, the ancient craft of iron smelting was revived in the village of Woodford with The Furnace Project.
Battle of the Knights
Supported by Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas, the Loughrea Medieval Festival entertained the crowds with food demos, talks, re-enactments and crafts from the Medieval times.
Milwaukee Irish Fest
Galway 2020 attends Milwaukee Irish Fest, North America’s largest celebration of Celtic music and culture to spread word about Galway 2020.
We Banjo 3 as Cultural Ambassador
Thousands of fans cheered as the Galway band announced live on stage at the Milwaukee Irish Fest that they are Galway 2020’s new cultural ambassadors
SEPTEMBER
Headford Lace Weekend
After hundreds of years, the craft of lacemaking in Headford enjoyed a come-back, with the Small Towns Big Ideas Headford Lace Weekend.
The Fisherwives
To celebrate the rich folklore and history of the Claddagh, local company Brú Theatre created a street performance as a part of Small Towns Big Ideas entitled The Fisherwives.
Teens Reclaim the Moment
Smart Arts Kinvara, one of Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas projects, kicked off with a creative project aimed at educating a group of teenagers on what makes a great photograph, with their work exhibited in November.
Renowned Croatian Quartet
Galway 2020 hosted the internationally-renowned ‘Zagreb Guitar Quartet’ at its Merchant’s Road space.
Cultural Café Evenings
Small Towns Big Ideas’ Cultural Café Evenings saw its first pop up café event taking place at the ARD Family Resource Centre in Doughiska.
OCTOBER
Balinderreen Sur Le Mer
Supported under Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas programme, Ballindereen Sur Le Mer community festival celebrated all that’s unique about the area and its community.
Curiosity Trail in the West End
To celebrate this very ‘Galway’ part of town, Galway 2020’s Small Town Big Ideas project, The Curiosity Trail, produced by Galway Arts Centre, ran a series of free events over a weekend.
Shot By The Sea: Lámhach cois Farraige
Open call takes place for Shot by the Sea – a Galway 2020 Small Towns Big Ideas film project in which new and experienced film makers make a five-minute short film.
Galway 2020 Open House
Galway 2020 opened its doors and work space for Culture Night with an evening of great cultural acts, including live trad, young musicians and African music, dance, Virtual and Augmented Reality demonstrations and talks.
NOVEMBER
It Takes A Village
Organised by Oranmore Arts Festival, through Galway 2020’s Small Towns Big Ideas programme, ‘It Takes a Village’ kicked off a series of workshops on virtually creating villages.
Galway 2.020 Information Days
Galway 2020 took over The Printworks for an Information weekend, where visitors were taken on the 2020 journey so far and give the opportunity to get involved.
Galway 2020 New Look
Galway 2020 unveils its new look and website
Introducing ‘Gaillimh’
‘Gaillimh’, Galway 2020’s own typeface, is created. ‘Gaillimh’ will be given to Galway and the world after 2020.
DECEMBER
Galway 2020 & Future Landscapes
Future Landscapes, an exciting, intensive four-week programme focused on Mixed Reality is announced with the Moore Institute at NUI Galway.
Generation 20
To celebrate the next generation of Galway artists, Galway 2020 introduces ‘Generation 20’ – a photo and interview series focusing on the new wave of up and coming artists in Galway.
Inis Oírr Artistic Residency for FRESH STREET#3
An exciting artistic residency on Inis Oírr is announced as a part of international conference FRESH STREET#3.