Galway's first ever design-led boutique hotel, The Dean Galway is delighted to announce its continued support of Galway International Arts Festival’s Festival Gallery.
GIAF is returning to the Festival Gallery again at William Street, which has been reconfigured and reimagined for GIAF 2023.
The centre-piece of this year’s visual arts programme at the festival, the Festival Gallery will this year play host to a new installation from a major international artist, who will be announced as part of the programme launch on 16 May.
Operating throughout Covid and back to its July timeslot in 2022, in 2023 GIAF is focused on growth, with plans for major venue reconfigurations, the presentation of its most ambitious dance and theatre programme ever, an incredible music, visual arts and discussion line-up.
GIAF also has plans to further develop its sustainability and EDI initiatives and, as part of The Dean Galway’s support of the Festival Gallery this year, the partners are creating a special Festival Gallery explainer podcast that will make the exhibit more accessible to all.
The Dean Galway launched in April 2022, bringing a fresh and vibrant offering to Galway City. Part of The Dean family, which came to life in 2014 on Dublin’s Harcourt Street and has since opened in Cork as well as Galway, the hotel offers boutique, design led rooms, rooftop dining from Sophie’s Restaurant, world class fitness facilities with POWER Gym, casual dining with Elephant & Castle, and a collection of art curated to highlight local and emerging Irish artists.
Created by hospitality group Press Up Hospitality, The Dean has been a strong supporter of the arts since its creation. As well as showcasing an art collection of over 1,000 pieces of Irish visual art, The Dean is the official hospitality partner to The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and providers of The Dean Art Studios, a dedicated studio providing free of charge creative space to over 30 artists free of charge in Dublin City Centre. Continued support of the Galway International Arts Festival further adds to the brand’s long term cultural strategy to ensure a tangible return to the arts ecosystem through meaningful and practical investment.
Cian O’Broin, General Manager of The Dean, Galway said: “The Dean Galway is proud to once again support the Festival Gallery at this year’s Galway International Arts Festival following the success of our inaugural partnership in 2022. We are committed to nurturing, supporting and celebrating the creative soul of Galway and its arts community, which GIAF champion and highlight on the world stage.”
John Crumlish, CEO, Galway International Arts Festival said: “The Press Up Group has a strong connection to the visual arts in Ireland and we are delighted that this connection includes the Festival Gallery. The Festival Gallery is a very important venue for GIAF, as it plays a key role in our free programme. The support of The Dean Galway partnership helps make that programme possible.”
Galway International Arts Festival 2023 takes place from 17-30 July this year. First acts already announced include two sold-out Saw Doctors’ shows, Bell X1, Kaiser Chiefs, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Pavement, Kettama and The Coronas at the Heineken Big Top, DruidO’Casey and a major new revival of Enda Walsh’s Bedbound with GIAF’s coproducing partner Landmark Productions starring Colm Meaney. For more information on GIAF’s Festival Gallery exhibit, go to giaf.ie, after 16 May.
Galway International Arts Festival also acknowledges the support of its principal funding agencies, The Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, Galway City Council, its Education Partner University of Galway and Drinks Partner Heineken®.
