Galway City Council is again seeking an operator for the Pálás arthouse cinema, with the property open for expressions of interest from potential commercial operators.
The council is offering to provide the cinema property on a long lease, without charge, to one operator. No other support will be provided to keep it open.
Pálás has been closed since February 2025 due to mounting financial losses by the operator, Picture Palace Cinema Ltd.
A recent independent commercial review of the ‘property’ commissioned by Galway City Council suggested three options to consider. These included
- Re-opening of the property as a cultural space featuring one operational cinema with other areas repurposed for community and cultural use.
- Re-purposing of the property to become more tourism focused with a focus on cultural tourism.
- Re-configuration of the property to operate as a mix of commercial space generating annual rents combined with allocation of space for community use.
This expression of interest is not limited to these suggestions. Interested parties are invited to submit their own intended site usage concept and financially viable operational model.
The successful operator will operate the property in a manner compatible with the city’s international reputation for culture and the arts.
Efforts to find a new operator for the arthouse cinema fell through earlier this year due to expected refurbishment costs.
In the new invitation, the city council has eliminated any closing date for when expressions of interest must be in by.
