The French Embassy in Ireland and Galway 2020 announced "a significant partnership" this week, in which support from the embassy will enable Galway 2020 to feature several key French artists as part of its year-long programme.
The Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture programme will be launched on Wednesday September 18. Among the Irish and international acts will be French productions and collaborations, including film, music, theatre, circus, and visual arts.
Since taking office in June 2017, French Ambassador to Ireland, Stéphane Crouzat, and the French Embassy has made meaningful investments in Galway’s arts and cultural sector. Earlier this year, Galway 2020 cultural producers were invited by the embassy to participate in the Institut Français circus and visual arts Focus programmes in France.
The French Embassy has worked collaboratively with Galway since the city was awarded the Capital of Culture designation in 2016. Galway 2020 said the encounter was "hugely beneficial" and that it would "encourage future European collaborations" and create "lasting cultural co-operations for the region".
'Galway 2020 is about celebrating cultural diversity in Europe. We are now proud to be a strong part of this upcoming European cultural extravaganza!' - Stéphane Crouzat
"We are thrilled to have the support of the French Embassy in Ireland," said Patricia Philbin, Galway 2020 CEO. "Ireland and France have long been firm friends and our strong relationship will become even more important in the years ahead. We have been very grateful for the support of the embassy as we devise the programme for Galway’s year as the cultural capital of Europe.
"We are delighted to consolidate our relationship with this new joint endeavour. Thanks to the generous support of the embassy, we are looking forward to welcoming some of the most celebrated French artists to Galway. We hope this partnership will be the start of more French-Irish cultural collaborations in Europe."
Ambassador Crouzat said: “The French Embassy has decided to join forces with Galway 2020 to present some phenomenal French artists throughout the year, in street theatre, visual arts, music, film and more. In preparing their programme, Galway 2020 were able to travel to France to discover some of the best of what France has to offer in arts and culture. Galway 2020 is about celebrating cultural diversity in Europe. We are now proud to be a strong part of this upcoming European cultural extravaganza!”
