Sat across from Megs Morley, Director and Curator of Galway Arts Centre, in a blazing 27-degree heat, iced drinks between us and the city teeming with activity outside, it feels almost fitting that our conversation centres on the vibrancy of the arts scene in Galway and the exciting developments it’s undergoing. Read on for more...
Having worked throughout her career as both an artist and an independent curator, taking on the leadership of one of Ireland's oldest arts centres for Megs was both a huge privilege and huge responsibility.
Now, she reflects on the past five years at the helm of Galway Arts Centre, where she has worked tirelessly alongside a team of fellow creatives to ensure the organisation remains a steady civic space in the city where artists create, audiences discover, and unexpected encounters unfold.
above: Róis by Tom Flanagan
When Megs stepped into her current role in late 2021, the world was only beginning to emerge from lockdown. For an organisation built around gathering people together it was a turbulent moment, and yet it revealed something fundamental about the role of the arts. “People suddenly really understood what the arts meant to them,” she reflects. “It really is the glue that keeps us together as a community.”
Established in the early 1980s by a group of artists who transformed the former Presbyterian Church (now Nuns Island Theatre) into a gallery and arts space, Galway Arts Centre has always been artist-led at its core. “That artist-centred approach has stayed throughout the whole evolution of Galway Arts Centre,” she says. “It’s played such a significant role in shaping the cultural development of the city.”
In the decades since, the centre has fully embraced its role as a nurturing ground for artists and a starting point for many of Galway’s cultural initiatives. From festivals to creative collectives, many of the city’s most recognisable arts projects have their roots in Galway Arts Centre. “It’s the home of the arts in Galway and we’re really proud of that,” Megs says. “We’re not just venues or programmes; we are a cultural infrastructure, a set of relationships that are both historical and about the future.”
That future is now entering a significant new phase, with major developments planned for both of Galway Arts Centre’s key spaces: Nuns Island Theatre and 47 Dominick Street.
above: Nuns Island Theatre by Tom Flanagan
The redevelopment of Nuns Island Theatre represents a major investment in Galway’s cultural landscape. The much-loved venue will undergo significant renovation to create a more accessible, contemporary space for theatre, dance, music and performance. Alongside this, work is progressing on plans for 47 Dominick Street, the historic heart of Galway Arts Centre’s network of projects and programmes. While the Georgian building holds enormous cultural value, its age brings challenges in terms of accessibility and facilities which they are aiming to address with actionable changes. “It’s so beautiful and beloved, and such an important part of the story of Galway’s culture,” Megs adds.
In a city as internationally recognised for its creativity, festivals and artistic output as Galway, Megs speaks about the importance of spaces which reflect its cultural ambition. “We have generations of the most incredible artists here working across literature, theatre, music, visual art, and now we need the cultural infrastructure that matches that ambition and vision,” she shares.
above: Array Collective by Tom Flanagan
“Galway Arts Centre is at the core of that conversation, working closely with the City Council, the Arts Council and others to move it forward, not only for our own organisation, but for the artistic community overall, and we're making real progress with that.”
Through exhibitions, performances, Galway Youth Theatre, Red Bird Youth Collective, and with its flagship festival Cúirt International Festival of Literature, the Galway Arts Centre has always succeeded in bridging the gap between artists and audiences, by creating multiple pathways into creativity.
Recent initiatives such as extended gallery opening hours, talks, tours and live events, have helped create new ways for people to interact with contemporary art at Galway Arts Centre. “It’s about making different ways to engage with the arts,” Megs explains. “We want the Arts Centre to feel open, and welcoming to everyone, a place where people can spend time, meet one another, encounter something unexpected and become part of the cultural life of the city.”
above: Dopplereffekt by Tom Flanagan
After years of building relationships, developing programmes and strengthening the organisation, Megs believes Galway Arts Centre is ready for its next chapter and is excited by what that will mean for the arts in Galway. “We’ve created a really solid base now to build into the future,” she says. “We can enable future generations of artists to make exciting, ambitious work, to imagine new possibilities and build on the extraordinary cultural legacy that Galway Arts Centre has supported across generations in the city.”
To discover the work Megs and team are doing at Galway Arts Centre, and learn about its upcoming renovations, exhibitions and events, visit galwayartscentre.ie.
Main photo of Megs Morley by Ciarán MacChoncarraige.
All other photos courtesy of Galway Arts Centre.
above: Ruby Wallis by Tom Flanagan
