Megs Morley
Director / Curator
Megs Morley is the Director and Curator of Galway Arts Centre since 2021. She is responsible for curating the core programming and leading on the strategic and organisational development of Galway Arts Centre. Prior to her appointment as Director, she worked as an as artist and independent curator with an extensive network of national and international institutions such as IMMA, EVA International, the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven; The Model, Sligo; Create Ireland; Temple Bar Gallery & Studios. Most recently she was the Curatorial Research Fellow for Arts and Social Justice for Create, The National Development Agency for Collaborative Arts, Ireland and the Editor of a major publication Xenogenesis: The Otolith Group published by the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin and Archive Books Berlin 2022.
Specifically in Galway, Megs held the role of curator of the 2011 edition of the TULCA Festival of Contemporary Art, After the Fall, curating artists such as Amie Siegel, Jesse Jones, Chto Delat?, Gregory Sholette and Dominc Thorpe. She held the role of Public Arts Officer with Galway City Council from 2008-2010, where she commissioned a series of ambitious large scale public commissions and projects spanning contemporary art, theatre, sculpture and film, in a wide variety of community contexts. Megs has contributed to the development of artist-led initiatives in Ireland for over 15 years, through her long-term research and programme The Artist-led Archive and with major new forthcoming publication The Artist-led Archive; Sustainable Activism and the Embrace of Flux (1970’s- present) co-edited with Kate O’Shea, published by Durty Books Publishing House in 2023.
Megs has also worked to support and develop artist- led organisations in Galway, serving on the inaugural 126 Gallery board of directors (2006-2008) the 126 advisory board (2010-2015), the board of Artspace Studios (2008- 2010) and the board of Engage Art Studios (2015- 2020).
Tara O’Connor
General Manager
Tara is responsible for the smooth and efficient running of Galway Arts Centre; taking the lead on the development and implementation of policies and procedures, contributing to strategy and its delivery, management of financial resources and supporting the delivery of the programme, as well as operating as Company Secretary .
Tara holds degrees in Arts (BA), Literature and Publishing (MA) and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from NUI Galway and a PDip in Cultural Event Management from IADT. She has previously worked as administrator at Galway Dance Project and as Festival Manager of Cúirt International Festival of Literature.
Brendan Martelloni Fox
Assistant Curator
Brendan Martelloni Fox is an independent curator, artist, writer, and cultural event producer with extensive experience in showcasing the work of Irish & international artists worldwide. He holds a BA in Fine Art & an MFA in Art in the Contemporary World from NCAD.
Fox is the founder of the Museum of Everyone (MOE), a multidisciplinary platform for artists & community-led initiatives focused on inclusion, diversity & active collaboration. As the founder, FOX has led an extensive national and international programme of events and residencies with the MOE and its associate artists at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Galway Arts Centre, Luan Gallery, and La Compagnia dei Lepini Foundation in Rome.
In 2022, MOE & the Irish Refugee Council, developed ‘Putting Down Roots’ with artist Steven Doody, planting over 30,000 trees in 16 locations in Ireland to support education for young asylum seekers in direct provision. He’s also the co-divisor (with Han Tiernan) of Rewind<<Fasforward>> Record (RFR) – aiming to uncover and interpret queer histories nationally. Invited by Director/Curator Megs Morley, Fox & Tiernan, as artists in residence at GAC in 2022, showcased the ‘Irish Names Quilt’ (1989) alongside the Turner Prize-winning Array Collective’s ‘Druthaibs’ Ball” exhibition, while also organising a series of talks, workshops, & events delving into Galway’s queer histories.
Brendan has curated exhibitions worldwide and worked with prestigious institutions like Creative Futures Academy, UCD, Talbot Gallery, Dublin, IMMA and Nag Gallery, Dublin. He’s a published writer, regularly reviewing art exhibitions for VAN and has also written for Falstaff Living, Totally Dublin, and GCN. He is currently a lecturer at Studio+ NCAD, and has been invited, on scholarship, to partake in the High Potential Leaders – Common Purpose Programme 2024.
Siobhán Singleton
Front of House Manager
Siobhán is the Front of House Manager and designated Accessibility Officer at Galway Arts Centre ensuring all clients, patrons and members of the public have a safe, enjoyable and memorable experience by providing a customer focused and effective front of house service to both venues. Her previous roles at Galway Arts Centre include; Front desk Receptionist, Nuns Island Theatre Manager, Cuirt International Festival of Literature administration and Venue Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for the festival. She also held the position of Administrator for Galway Youth Theatre for a number of years. Siobhán is a graduate of National University of Ireland, Galway.
Karen Quinn
Finance Manager
Karen Quinn joined the GAC team in 2020 and oversees all areas of finance and administration for Galway Arts Centre including: payroll, accounts payable and receivables, cash management, general ledger, inventory, banking and reconciliations as well as preparing management accounts to work with our external auditors. Karen has worked in finance for over 25 years, and has a keen interest and experience working in the arts. As well as working in Galway Arts Centre, Karen also works as Finance Manager at the Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare since 2007. Karen has a diploma in Computerised Accounts and recently graduated from NUI Galway with a Diploma in Business Management. In 2022 Karen was appointed as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Galway Arts Centre.
Galway Arts Centre Community Employment Scheme
Galway Arts Centre is the sponsor of the city based DSP Community Employment Programme, offering placements in cultural and community based organisations including Galway Arts Centre, Cúirt International Festival of Literature, The Blue Theatre Performance Academy, Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, An Taibhdhearc, Galway Community Circus, Our Lady’s Boys Club, Shantalla Residents Association, St. Joseph’s Community Centre Shantalla, The Galway Rowing Club and An Meitheal Rothar.
Roles include receptionists, administration and accounts assistants, theatre support personnel, visual art assistants, caretakers, maintenance crew, social media assistants, outreach and community workers, and bicycle mechanic trainees.
Both in-house and accredited training is provided for all of the above roles and Galway Arts Centre encourages and assists all participants in sourcing relevant training courses that will improve employment prospects in the Cultural and Community sector.
Galway Arts Centre welcomes applicants from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
The Community Employment Scheme is funded by the Department of Social Protection.
If you are interested in further information regarding our Community Employment programme please contact CE Supervisor Derval Byrne derval@galwayartscentre.ie
Derval Byrne is the Community Employment Supervisor for the Galway Arts Centre Community Employment scheme since its establishment in 2012. Prior to this, Derval was the CE Supervisor in Macnas for more than 13 years during which time she worked on the award winning theatre production Trilogy of Táin, Buile Suibhne, and Balor and many parades including Cargo de Nuit and Noah’s Ark. Derval subsequently spent eight years working freelance in the Arts, Culture and Entertainment industry on events and productions such as Slane Castle concerts, Oxygen Music Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival, Body and Soul, Electric Picnic, Ros na Rún, Baboro, Cúirt and the Galway International Arts Festival.
