€3.8 million in funding has been awarded to renovate Nun’s Island Theatre and to completely refurbish the vacant Church House to the rear of the site/
The project will link the two buildings, creating a new multi-purpose creative centre for the arts sector, named ‘CreativeSpace’.
CreativeSpace will offer Galway’s artistic community rehearsal and performance space and will promote the venue as the space for innovative and experimental work by emerging companies, individuals and minority communities.
Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Peter Keane welcomed the award, commenting, “I’m delighted to welcome this funding for Nun’s Island Theatre, which will bring a much-loved but underused city centre site into more active use as a creative centre for the people of Galway.”
“Public consultation by Galway City Council in partnership with the UrbanLab in the University of Galway identified that people wanted to see a multi-functional space, that could be used for rehearsals, studios, meetings, events and administration.”
“I’m delighted to see their feedback will come to life with this funding through the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA)”.
Nun’s Island Theatre was built circa 1835 and is a former Presbyterian Church. Attached to the rear of the Theatre is the Church House, also known as ‘The Manse’. Church House was constructed between 1855 and 1872 and originally served as a home for the church’s various ministers.
In more recent years, the site has been used as a space for the arts in Galway, hosting the Galway International Arts Festival, Babaró International Arts Festival for Children, and Galway Arts Centre.
The CreativeSpace project will promote the values and working principles of the New European Bauhaus – an initiative of the European Union – ensuring the project sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, inclusive and accessible.
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council commented that, “The long-term aim of the CreativeSpace concept is to consolidate Galway Arts Centre’s position as a key resource for artists.”
“This will be achieved by promoting Nuns’ Island theatre as Galway’s ‘go to’ venue for emerging theatre and performing companies; by providing space at affordable rates to enable Galway’s artists to bring their projects to stage; and by nurturing amateur artists through our comprehensive youth led programme.”
The money comes under the EU Town Centre First Heritage Revival (THRIVE) scheme, which is part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Northern and Western Region.
THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland (40%) and the European Union (60%) under the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027.
