Representatives from Galway City Council will present the award-winning age-friendly housing scheme, ‘An Cliathán’, at the International Social Housing Festival, taking place from 4-6 June at the National Convention Centre, Dublin.
The innovative ‘Creativity Fund’, which supports people experiencing homelessness to cultural access, will also feature in the Housing Europe (the European Federation of Public, Cooperative and Social Housing ) event.
This is the fifth edition of the Social Housing Festival, which was previously hosted by Amsterdam (2017 ), Lyon (2019 ), Helsinki (2022 ), and Barcelona (2023 ). The theme of the festival is ‘Storytelling’ which will centre on experiences, ideas and voices of all those engaged in housing – from public co-operative, and social housing providers to tenants, policymakers, and advocates for inclusive homes and neighbourhoods.
The recently completed An Cliathán scheme will feature in a session on person-centred approaches to collaborative housing and neighbourhood design and ageing.
Micheál Cormican, Senior Engineer, Galway City Council, said An Cliathán is an Age Friendly development of 15 homes designed for older persons and families with special needs, completed in December 2023, on a former derelict site in the city’s eastern suburbs.
“The development has set a benchmark for future living options for our aging community and those whose needs require projects with greater attention to detail.
“The scheme was a finalist in the 2025 National Age Friendly Awards and was also a winner of the Irish construction Excellence Awards in 2024 showcasing high quality infill development catering to the cities changing demographics housing needs,” he added.
An innovative project to give people experiencing homelessness cultural access through ‘The Creativity Fund’ will also be presented at the festival. The Creativity Fund is a collaboration between Galway City Council’s Housing and Creative Ireland teams, COPE and Simon, supported by Creative Ireland.
The Creativity Fund was established in 2024 to support people experiencing homelessness to engage with and participate in Galway’s vibrant cultural life. Recognising this community’s diverse and complex needs, the fund empowers individuals and families living in Emergency Accommodation to access artistic and creative opportunities aligned with their needs and goals.
Over a period of ten weeks, over 30 individuals and families directly benefitted from the Fund. Grants were used to support a wide range of cultural and creative activities, from music and dance lessons, pottery classes, attending concerts and the theatre, and purchasing art and music equipment.
Adam Stoneman, Creative Communities Engagement Officers said this project contributed positively to the health and wellbeing of participants by breaking down barriers to participating in culture and the arts.
“It can also help reduce social exclusion and reenforce a sense of community, as well as challenging perceptions of those experiencing homelessness, and building resilience, and self-worth.”
The International Social Housing Festival is an initiative of Housing Europe, the European Federation of Public, Cooperative and Social Housing. It’s members and allies are present in 31 countries and encompass 25 million dwellings or 11% of the housing stock in the European Union.
This Social Housing Festivals mobilise activists, housing professionals, community groups, policymakers, researchers, city authorities, urbanists, architects and activists to focus on what society can gain by pushing for excellence in housing for people and the planet, bringing hope and creating synergies to put solutions in place for those households and individuals now stuck in limbo.
The festival will bring an estimated 2,000 professionals working in the area of housing together at the National Convention Centre in Dublin from 4-6 June.
Read more information on the festival and the full programme at ALL ABOUT ISHF | International Social
