Northern & Western Regional Assembly award €3.8 million to Galway City Council under the EU co-funded THRIVE Scheme

Galway City Council have been awarded €3.8 million under the Town Centre First Heritage Revival (THRIVE) Scheme to renovate the existing Nun’s Island Theatre and completely refurbish the vacant Church House to the rear of site. The project, which is funded under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Northern and Western Region will link the two buildings creating a new multi-purpose creative (Hub) centre for the arts sector, named CreativeSpace on Nun’s Island Galway City.

Public Consultation on the role and functions of the Nuns Island site and its place within the creative and cultural landscape of the city was conducted by Urban Lab Galway on behalf of Galway City Council and the University of Galway in 2021 and 2022. Responses from the consultation identified that people wanted to see a multifunctional space that could be used for rehearsals, studios, meetings, events and administration.

Creative Space 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 in Galway.

Galway City Council state ‘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’.

Welcoming the funding awards, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Alan Dillon TD said:

“This first announcement of capital works funding under ERDF THRIVE will facilitate the conservation, refurbishment and return to use of some prominent heritage buildings that are currently in vacant or derelict condition. These projects will breathe new life into town centres in keeping with the Town Centre First approach and create new community and cultural facilities for generations to come. I also look forward to the next tranche of funding and the benefits this exciting scheme will have in driving regeneration in towns across the country in the years ahead “

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan said:

“This funding will support local authorities in not only preserving and protecting these valuable historic buildings, but also ensuring their long-term sustainable re-use as key cultural and heritage assets at the heart of their communities. These innovative adaptive re-use projects have huge potential to drive town centre revitalisation and have been developed in collaboration with local citizens and stakeholders in line with New European Bauhaus principles and Town Centre First policy.   I also look forward to the next tranche of funding that will support more THRIVE heritage led regeneration projects across the country “

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD said:

“A significant €32M is being allocated today across the five urban centres so that publicly owned vacant and derelict heritage buildings can be restored and renovated. Having visited many of these towns and seen the buildings earmarked for rejuvenation I can safely say this funding will make a massive difference. I want to commend the communities and indeed every tier of government involved, from a European, Regional and Local level, in bringing these projects to fruition. The THRIVE fund is empowering communities to shape the future of their urban centres by identifying opportunities which will help ensure their long-term vitality. I very much look forward to seeing the substantial regeneration which will arise out of this funding and which will strengthen the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of towns throughout Ireland.”

Cllr Jarlath Munnelly, Cathaoirleach of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, said:

‘‘I am delighted to see Galway City Council have been awarded funding under the THRIVE scheme for the CreativeSpace project which adopted a citizen and community led approach to planning and design from the outset. I believe this project will be a valuable amenity for Galway and the region for many generations to come. I look forward to seeing more capital projects across our region being funded under second call for THRIVE Strand 2 funding in 2025.

 Denis Kelly, Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly said:

“Vacancy and Dereliction is a significant challenge across our urban centres and has contributed to the decline of our Towns, Villages and Cities. The THRIVE scheme is an example of an innovative funding mechanism to deliver 100% funding to Local Authorities that will support the renewal of our urban centres and reinforce the positive image of them as desirable places to live, work, and visit.  These projects will not only bring vacant and derelict heritage buildings back to life but will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of our Town centres – a key policy of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies adopted by the Regional Assemblies. “

 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.

The eight other Local Authorities across the Northern & Western Region, including Galway County, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Monaghan, Mayo and Cavan will be eligible to apply under a second and the final call for THRIVE Strand 2 capital projects in early 2025.

THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland (40%) and the European Union (60%) under the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. Further information is available on the Northern & Western Regional Assembly website www.nwra.ie/thrive