Galway intends to bid for European city of culture when Ireland's turn comes around in 2005.
A steering committee is being formed to make the submission by the closing date of October 31st, but competition is expected from Limerick, Cork and Waterford. Dublin held the title of cultural capital back in 1991, and is not eligible this time. Ironically, as Galway's departing city manager, Mr Joe Gavin, is taking up a new post in Cork, the southern "capital" may become the main rival. However, the final selection will be up to the Government to decide.
The title comes with a budget of up to £5 million, in the form of matching funding, and much hinges on the support of local business. Galway's main disadvantage is lack of infrastructure, but its plethora of festivals and the accessibility of so many events are regarded as second to none.
Apart from the arts festival, the year-round programme includes the early music festival, the film fleadh, Baboro children's festival, the Plearaca community festival in Connemara and arts festivals in Clifden, Roundstone and on Inishbofin. For many Galway is already a cultural capital in its own right - after the London Independent bestowed on it the title nine years ago. "Perhaps it is time to make that a reality," Mr Fergal McGrath, manager of the festival, said yesterday. The arts festival is fully supportive of Galway Corporation's pitch. "My belief is that the city should go for it, and we will do everything we can to support such an application," Mr McGrath said.
The festival administration is delighted to have broken even this year. Arts Council funding of £175,000 or 23 per cent of the total depends on books balancing, and there were fears that several risks taken might not have paid off.
Thermo King Ireland's "re structured" support, which resulted in a withdrawal of its support for the Macnas parade, came as a blow. Galway Corporation picked up the tab but the festival is confident a new sponsor will be found for next year.
The two mainline US shows, Steppenwolf's Sideman and the Irish Repertory Company of Chicago's production of Eugene O'Neill's classic, Long Day's Journey into Night, sold out, and more eclectic tastes were provided with the likes of the French/Chilean Teatro del Silencio's Alice Underground. The range of music gigs - indoors, rather than in a big top setting - proved to be extremely popular, ranging from 15 Grammy Award-winner Bela Fleck and the Flecktones to Beth Orton to Sharon Shannon.
Galway audiences rose to the challenge again and again, turning out in droves to support not only visiting shows - but also Macnas, during the parade and at Leisureland, where the street-theatre company staged its homegrown version of Homer's odyssey, The Lost Days of Ollie Deasy.
Mr McGrath reports total turnover of £775,000, with the box office breaking the £250,000 barrier for the first time. The net figure is about £230,000. "The word on the street is what matters here, and everyone from the Garda to priests to taxi-drivers has given it the thumbs up," he said. "We can be quite proud to have put on an event of this scale with a grant of that size."
