Galway 2020 is pleased to announce that it will advance legacy planning and as a first step, will undertake a period of consultation with its partners and stakeholders. This consultation will commence shortly and will lead to the publishing of a legacy report in December 2021 on a legacy plan.

“Galway 2020 looks forward to this period of consultation and preparation with great optimism in light of the achievements of the past year. As the world opens up in the months to come, Galway 2020 will be mindful of the considerable role that culture will play in the lives of individuals and society and the economic recovery of the region,” says Arthur Lappin, Chair of Galway 2020.

Galway 2020, in partnership with a number of its cultural partners, will continue to deliver a number of live events right through into 2022. This is valuable, not only in encouraging footfall and tourism, but also in ensuring that Galway audiences will get to experience additional amazing live events from the programme and that we continue to support our artists and cultural partners.

These events include Wires Crossed by Galway Community Circus which includes ‘Head Heart Balance The Art of Funambulism Conference’ plus special events, Mirror Pavilion by Galway International Arts Festival, Gilgamesh by Macnas, Studio Drop by Drop Everything, an architecture and design project on Inis Oírr, Lace Matrix a new lace sculpture for Headford, The Paper Boat Community Opera by Music for Galway, Songs of an (Re)Opened Road produced by Old and in the Way and Róisín Dubh, TULCA Create Dangerously, a new arts-in-education programme as part of TULCA’s UnSelfing Programme and Galway 2020, Hope It Rains | | Soineann nó Doineann,  Northern Peripheries with Galway Film Centre and the remounting of Sruth Na Teanga by Branar Theatre. Monument continues at Galway City Museum and Trish Forde’s wonderful book To the Island continues to be gifted to children throughout the county. In addition, Ar Ais Arís by Brú Theatre and commissioned by The Aistriú Project will tour the west coast of Ireland this June with its virtual reality film as part of Brightening Air I Coiscéim Coiligh.

Galway’s year as European Capital of Culture officially ended on 30 April. It has demonstrated resilience and creativity in the face of the most challenging circumstances. It was one of the most significant cultural projects of scale to be presented worldwide during the pandemic: Over 500 events across multiple genres were delivered live and online; Over 600 artists were supported in the making and creation of new work and a large digital archive of remarkable art was created; Over 31 local cultural partners were supported during the pandemic, thus sustaining jobs in our local cultural economy. An independent monitoring and evaluation report on the overall programme will be available later this year.

It is the intention that the legacy report will include a framework for supports to be provided to the cultural sector, which will be complementary to existing funding mechanisms available. Galway 2020 has also opened many pathways into Europe for the cultural sector and it is hoped that one of the lasting impacts of Galway 2020 will be to pave the way towards greater openness to European cultural partnerships and the significant potential financial resources available for such work from Europe for local artists, cultural partners and for Galway.