The civic and cultural leadership of Galway City and County have reaffirmed their shared commitment to supporting film, television and screen storytelling across the region, highlighting the importance of talent development, cultural identity and international collaboration through Galway's UNESCO City of Film designation.
Representatives from Galway City Council and Galway County Council have come together to celebrate the impact of the designation and the role it continues to play in strengthening opportunities for creative practitioners, fostering cultural participation and promoting Galway on the world stage.
Watch the City of Film Highlights Reel with Galway's Civic & Cultural Leaders and Ardán.
Leading the conversation, alongside Alan Duggan and the team at Ardán, are Galway City Council's CEO, Leonard Cleary; Galway County Council's CEO, Liam Conneally; Galway City Arts Officer, Ruth Mulhern; Galway County Arts Officer, Sharon O'Grady; Brian Barrett, Head of Economic Development and Culture & Acting Director of Service at Galway City Council; Lorna Baek, Acting/Director of Services at Galway County Council; Mayor of Galway City, Helen Ogbu and Galway County Cathaoirleach Andrew Reddington.
Since 2014, Galway City and County have jointly held a UNESCO Creative City of Film status, a designation managed by Ardán (previously Galway Film Centre) on behalf of both local authorities. The designation recognises Galway's longstanding contribution to film culture and its commitment to supporting the future development of the screen sector.
Speaking collectively about the designation, our civic and cultural leaders emphasised that Galway's success as a UNESCO City of Film/ Ceantar Scannán is built on people: the filmmakers, artists, educators, communities, volunteers and industry professionals who have helped establish a vibrant screen sector across the city and county.
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council, reflected on the importance of the designation: The Galway City of Film/Ceantar Scannán designation reflects the creative spirit of Galway city and county, and the film community built here over many years. That legacy continues through initiatives such as the Little Cinema 48 Hour Challenge, Train the Trainer with Misleór, and the Short Documentary Bursary, which give people practical opportunities to participate, develop their work and contribute to Galway’s cultural life.”
The designation also connects Galway’s local screen community with UNESCO’s international network, while supporting storytelling and creative development across both the city and county.
Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council, highlighted the regional aspect of the designation: “Ceantar Scannán recognises that Galway’s film culture extends across both City and County. Our priority is to create space for stories in both the Irish and English languages, develop grassroots talent, and to help talent rooted here reach national and international audiences. Initiatives such as the annual Comhair Gaeilge Animation Exchange connect local screen creatives with Cities of Film around the world, while the lifelong designation helps secure the audiovisual sector as a priority in our long-term cultural planning.”
Hosting the 2026 UNESCO Cities of Film annual subnetwork meeting here in Galway over the last week, where 15 of the 30 Creative Cities were represented, allowed international delegates to come together to experience Galway city and county's culture and creativity, and to meet the local film and TV community and industry, during their annual meeting.
Find out more about the 2026 UNESCO Cities of Film Subnetwork Meeting in Galway.
Together, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, and Ardán continue to deliver the designation through local programmes, international partnerships and opportunities for screen creatives across the city and county.
For Galway City and County, UNESCO City of Film is more than a designation. It is a shared commitment to championing creativity, supporting artists and filmmakers, and ensuring that the stories of this region continue to be told and heard around the world.
Watch the City of Film Highlights Reel with Galway's Civic & Cultural Leaders and Ardán.
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