Calls to 'wind up' Galway city of culture as doubts grow

Last month, Ms Madigan committed her promised €15m funding for Galway 2020 and called on it to "re-imagine" its programme which had to be frozen in March owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her department confirmed that just over €9.5m of this sum had been paid to Galway 2020 to date.

The European Commission confirmed last week that any cultural capital programme date changes have to be approved by both the EU Council and Parliament. As this could take six months, according to Galway's partner Rijeka 2020, there is some urgency in responding.

It is understood that EU member states holding cultural capital titles between 2020 and 2023 were asked some weeks ago if they would prefer a time extension or a postponement of programmes by calendar year because of Covid-19.

Rijeka says it prefers a time extension to May/June 2021, rather than a postponement, and intends to respond shortly to the EU.

Irena Kregar Segota, Rijeka 2020's director for partnership and participation, said its curtailed programme will resume next month after a successful opening earlier this year.

Rijeka's budget includes €26m for its cultural capital programme, but that figure is going to be reduced by a third as a direct impact of the Covid-19 situation and shrinking public incomes, Ms Segota said.

However, unlike Galway, the Croatian city also has a separate €45m 'legacy' infrastructural programme which is 80pc drawn from EU structural funds and 20pc from city coffers.

Galway's failure to budget for any new physical buildings as a long-term legacy has been a source of criticism from artists.

Rijeka has plans for four new buildings on a former industrial site. "I know how hard Galway worked, and I was heartbroken when its opening could not go ahead. I hope that the Irish Government will take a look at its legacy, and save some good energy from the bid book," Ms Segota said.

However, Fianna Fail senator and former city councillor Ollie Crowe said he believes it is time to "wind Galway 2020 up and call it a day altogether".

Fianna Fail city councillor Peter Keane concurs.

Galway 2020's opening ceremony on February 8 had to be abandoned owing to Storm Ciara, and it was then forced to lay-off 20 staff due to Covid-19. A core team of nine people have been retained.

"Galway 2020 has been dealt very difficult and challenging cards, but we have more important things to focus on now as we won't have the tourism revenue stream and social distancing will be far too hard to implement this year," Cllr Keane said.

The Fianna Fail group has called for an audit of Galway 2020 by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) - although no formal request has been received, the C&AG's office said last week.

The Department of Culture said Ms Madigan has requested that Galway 2020 "re-engage with the cultural partners from the original European Capital of Culture (ECoC) programme to scope out the options for delivery of their projects later this year or early next year, in line with prevailing public health guidelines".

The statement added that the department and Galway 2020 are "liaising with the European Commission on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis and the possible delivery of the Galway 2020 programme in an extended time frame".

Galway 2020 - which could not furnish a figure for its budget now and what has been spent to date - said it "exists for no reason other than to facilitate the realisation of the ECoC programme and champion the remarkable talents of our artistic community, particularly our local cultural partners".

"Wrapping up of the Galway 2020 programme would be detrimental to these local artists and cultural organisations," it added in response to the call by the Fianna Fail politicians.