It’s “nothing short of shocking” that in the almost 50 years since Galway International Arts Festival was founded, the authorities in Galway City have not got their act together to provide proper performance spaces and galleries, according to the Artistic Director of Galway International Arts Festival, Paul Fahy.

Speaking in advance of the programme launch of this year’s festival, he said authorities “need to get themselves in hand” and address the city’s serious lack of arts infrastructure.

“They have a responsibility not just to the artistic community but to everybody so that people can engage with work in proper venues,” said Mr Fahy, who has promised “a joyous and inclusive programme” for this year’s festival, running from July 14-27.

“Galway is happy to trade itself as a cultural city nationally and internationally, and it is. But the powers-that-be need to address the issue of venues and facilities.”

He explained that the Arts Festival, which commissioned a major arts installation from renowned British artist David Mach for this July, had real concerns that the GPO building which has been made available to the organisation in recent years for a gallery space, might not be available this year to house that largescale work.

That issue has been resolved but he pointed to the stress and the money involved in acquiring and repurposing venues such as that one, and the Connacht Tribune Printworks on Market Street, every year.

“We are dealing with international artists and it’s not acceptable that we have to work like that,” he said.

Caption: Galway International Arts Festival Artistic Director Paul Fahy, Chief Executive John Crumlish and Festival Box Office Manager Ari Bhatti, pictured with the programme for this year’s Festival. Photo: Andrew Downes.

Get the full story – and a full breakdown on this year’s GAIF programme – in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.