Michael D. Higgins marks Town Hall milestone with call for stronger support for artists
By Rosa Boran
Thirty years after the opening of the Town Hall Theatre, the former president and TD for Galway West, Michael D. Higgins, praised how far the city has come culturally in the intervening decades.
In one of the first interviews since leaving office, he reflected on three decades of cultural change in Galway and beyond.
Mr Higgins recalled that “one of the biggest deficiencies at the time was having venues. People were continually saying there wasn’t a place to perform”.
He added that he was “delighted that the renovation of the Town Hall has been so successful”.
“The best of the work comes from the people on the fringe”
However, he also said that Ireland must do more if the theatre sector is to prosper.
“We still have a long way to go in respecting the artists and having a basic income available for artists,” said Mr Higgins.
“You need multi-annual funding so that you’re not just going from event to event, but it’s just something a bit stable, that you’re able to build on something that’s very, very important for the theatre.”
Mr Higgins said Galway’s cultural scene was built by a dedicated community but stressed that continued funding is needed for it to develop professionally. He noted that Galway had often been a pioneer, though much of that work had been “done on a shoestring”.
“It has given a lead, but it needs continual funding so that matters can be put on a professional basis. The best of the work comes from the people on the fringe,” he said.
Mr Higgins attended the 30th anniversary celebration of the Town Hall theatre last week along with other guests including current President Catherine Connolly.
The event featured a special concert that brought together local artists and the wider community.
The Whileaways performed alongside special guests including Rita Ann Higgins, Mary Coughlan, and Leo Moran and Pádraig Stevens.
The Town Hall and the Black Box Theatre were redeveloped in the 1990s, and Michael D. Higgins — then the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht — officially opened the venue in 1996.
Since then, an estimated three million people have passed through the doors of the Town Hall — and the Black Box — over the past three decades.
“Galway audiences are up for it”
Town Hall manager Fergal McGrath highlighted the positive effect the venue has had on Galway.
“It’s had a huge impact on the arts and the artists; it’s given them a platform, opportunity, and room to be creative and free. Audiences in Galway are so lucky that we have extraordinary talent and so many people in Galway who are brilliantly creative.
“And Galway audiences are up for it. The city has a population of about 85,000; we sold 120,000 tickets last year. That’s just phenomenal activity and levels of participation.”
The Town Hall continues to serve audiences and artists alike and remains committed to supporting Galway’s thriving arts scene.
