Press Release, 7 July 2009: Community Forum calls on Galway’s creative minds to take part in public consultation on new City Arts Strategy

In a statement, as the Galway Film Fleadh and city’s Arts Festival kick off, Galway City Community Forum (GCCF) sends out a call for all groups and individuals with an interest in the Arts to take active part in the public consultation on the City’s new Arts Strategy. 

Nuala O’Hara, Chairperson of GCCF explains: “We are very pleased that Arts Consultant Sarah Searson has been appointed to help complete Galway City’s new Arts Strategy and that the public consultation on the Strategy is to take place. We strongly encourage everybody interested in and involved in the Arts to come forward with new creative ideas on how to develop the Arts in Galway”. 

In February, the City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Recreation, Amenity and Culture identified the completion of a new five-year Arts Strategy for Galway City as one of the main priorities for this year. It was furthermore decided to go ahead with the appointment of an external consultant and to carry out a full public consultation on the future of the Arts in Galway.

Nuala O’Hara continues: “The Arts Sector in Galway has previously flourished despite economic downturns and will hopefully do it again. A new five-year Arts Strategy is an important step. It is, however, vital that the City Council’s Arts Service is properly resourced to successfully deliver a new strategy once this has been completed”. 

“There’s a huge social and economic potential in the Arts, which was clearly documented in the recent report from the Western Development Commission on the “Creative Sector”. It is our hope that the new Arts Strategy will explore this potential further and act as a vehicle for a much improved strategic development of the Arts in Galway City over the coming years”.

GCCF represents over 200 community and voluntary groups in the city and, in its submission on the City’s Draft Arts Strategy, called for increased access to and participation in the arts for all communities in Galway, a strategy for professional development and support for artists as well as improved infrastructure for arts throughout the city and suburbs. 

For more information on the Community Forum’s policies and input towards the City’s new Arts Strategy please log on to www.galwaycityforum.ie.