Westside Arts Festival has been honoured for the work it does fostering creativity within the local community, taking home the prize at the 2020 Pride of Place Awards.
Westside Arts Festival was the winner of the of the Creative Place Initiative category at the 2020 Pride of Place Awards, which took place on Saturday.
“It was clear to the judges that the winning entry is about a very strong community event, which continues to grow and prosper,” the award’s citation said.
“It maintains a focus on local artists and involves engendering pride in the creativity of the local community. It is making a significant contribution to Pride of Place in the area.”
Now in its 16th year, Westside Arts Festival brings local people together by showcasing various different art forms alongside a wide range of creative and educational activities.
The five day summer festival has become a summer fixture in the community each July.
The festival encourages people to engage with their local community and its amenities with events hosted at the Westside Resource Centre, Library, Community Garden, and more.
While Galway has many arts and cultural festivals of international renown, this is special for holding onto its grassroots nature, and spotlighting creativity within the community itself.
The annual Pride of Place awards organised by Co-Operation Ireland celebrate communities of all sizes, and groups that provide a special service to their local area.
The Pride of Place awards were meant to be hosted this year by Kerry County Council, but due to COVID-19 restrictions were live streamed online instead.
Three Galway groups were nominated for the awards including Westside Arts Festival, with Galway Contact, a charity for the elderly, and Galway Cycle Bus, a transport initiative for getting kids cycling to school, were also nominated.
