AFTER THREE years without funding, Theatre57 have successfully been awarded grants from the Galway County Council and the Arts Council for three separate strands of activity, which will support independent theatre artists in Galway city and county during the next nine months.
Theatre57 is an artist-led membership organisation representing more than 100 independent theatre artists based in Galway city and county. It advocates for investment in sustainability and infrastructure to support independent theatre, and supports community, sustainability, creativity, inclusivity and co-operation.
The funding from the Arts Council Theatre Resource and Development Scheme will support residencies and rehearsal space in partnership with the Galway Arts Centre; the Arts Council’s Capacity Building Support Scheme will allow Theatre57 to work on planning, advocacy, and strategy; while the support of the Galway County Council, will allow for the running of a ‘coaching café’ for artist development.
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Maria Tivnan (left ) and Sarah O'Toole.
“We are very excited to be able to deliver these projects,” says Theatre57 co-chair Maria Tivnan. “We believe in the power and potential of the artistic community in Galway city and county. We have a wealth of talent and experience in theatre in Galway, we are trying to build on this and provide artists with the support that they deserve.”
Sarah O’Toole – another of three co-chairs of Theatre57 - described the funding as “an essential step” towards achieving some of the organisation’s main goals: the establishment of a creative hub in Galway city; supporting new opportunities for independent artists to create and present work; and to work with experts to develop advocacy skills and work on future strategy.
Artist-centred hub based at Nuns Island
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From October, Theatre57 will partner with the Galway Arts Centre to run an artist-led, artist-centred, resource-sharing hub based in Nuns Island Theatre. The resource hub will provide access to space, time, funded residencies, community, and venue support, including free rehearsal space for members, and three residency strands: ‘START’ for artists beginning a piece of work, ‘TEST’ for artists experimenting with a new idea, and ‘FINISH’ for artists who want to complete a piece of theatre.
“Stimulating a culture based on reciprocal support is crucial to the development of the Galway theatre sector,” says the third Theatre57 co-chair, Emma O’Grady.
The Theatre57 Coaching Café Programme begins in September and will provide artists with the space and opportunity to focus on their personal development within the context of their work and artistic practices. It will be delivered by actor-maker and neuroscience coach Vanessa Earl and will support selected practitioners through the transitions of making work during the Covid-19 pandemic and the current cultural landscape.
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In autumn, Theatre57 will begin work on strategic development and advocacy mentorship funded by the Arts Council’s Capacity Building Award. Working with strategist Olwen Dawe and facilitator Alia Alzghoubi, the organisation will drill into its aims and explore the possibilities open to the city’s independent artists in the long-term, which will lead to the creation of a working plan. Mary Conlon from Limerick’s Ormston House will provide workshops on arts advocacy.
“Galway is at a crucial point in its development with the ring road, Bonham Quay, the Post Office on Eglinton Street, Nuns Island, and Ceannt Station all in the pipeline,” said project manager, Róisín Stack. “We intend to make sure that cultural infrastructure, in particular space and supports for independent artists, are a key consideration in this expansion.”
For more information see https://www.theatrefiftyseven.com. Membership for Theatre57 opens from September 1 to 30. Enquiries can be sent via email to [email protected].
