Galway’s European Capital of Culture project secured no sponsorship in the first half of this year and spent almost €130,000 on “professional”, legal and “external adviser” fees. Poet Rita Ann Higgins: says she believes it is too late now to find a new creative director for the Galway project. Galway 2020 said the “professional fees” pertained to “professional services” including “recruitment, tourism engagement, translation services and photography”. More than €420,000 has been spent on the arts programme this year, and 24 people are employed, the report stated. “I feel none of that excitement around Galway 2020; the energy is dead, as you might expect when the language is all about money and marketing.”Responding, Galway 2020 said it had worked hard to “re-engage” with the cultural community and was very pleased with progress.

Source: The Irish Times October 19, 2018 20:15 UTC