Galway City Council has been allocated €735,000 to complete the Galway Picture Palace.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has agreed a partnership approach with Galway City Council which will see the Picture Palace completed and open to the public. Galway City Council will project manage the venture to completion, and will also contribute to the completion of the project.

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys said: "This will come as a significant boost to Galway, which of course is one of this country’s main cultural hubs. The State has already invested considerably in the Picture Palace project, so I am very pleased that its future has been secured. When completed, the Picture Palace will be a state-of-the-art three screen cinema, complete with a cafe and book shop. Located close to the historic Spanish Arch and just a stone's throw from the Mick Lally Theatre (Druid), the Picture Palace will be a great addition to Galway’s vibrant cultural scene.

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"My Department will now work with Galway City Council to bring this project to completion. Galway already has a lively and growing film and TV industry, worth in the region of €72 million to the local economy and employing over 600 people full time. This was given worldwide recognition last December when Galway became one of just five cities worldwide to be awarded the highly prestigious and permanent title of UNESCO City of Film. The completion of the Picture Palace should help to cement Galway's reputation as a film hub."

(CD/MH)