A large-scale architecture exhibit, inspired by Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly, will feature at this year’s Galway International Arts Festival as part of a national tour supported by the Arts Council to promote architecture to audiences in Ireland.
The exhibit, ‘Assembly’, represented Ireland at the world’s leading architecture event in 2025; the International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. It was commissioned by Culture Ireland in partnership with the Arts Council, and curated by Cotter and Naessens Architects.
The Cotter and Naessans team comprises architects Louise Cotter and David Naessens, multidisciplinary artist Michelle Delea, woodworker Alan Meredith, curator Luke Naessens and sound artist David Stalling.
The presentation of ‘Assembly’ at the Galway International Arts Festival is the second stop on its national tour, following its exhibition at the Cork Midsummer Festival, and before its installation at Busáras in Dublin as part of the culture programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in October.
Crafted in Irish beech, with a Ceadogán rug at its centre, the design is a multi-sensory installation featuring a soundscape that layers human voices, natural sounds and mechanical effects. ‘Assembly’ invites members of the public to congregate in partnership to consider matters of collective concern.
‘Assembly’ will be open to visitors for the duration of the Galway International Arts Festival from 11am to 6pm during the week at the O’Donoghue Theatre in the University of Galway. From Thursday to Sunday, the exhibit will be open until 8pm.
Assembly Conversations, chaired by award-winning Irish architect and academic Dr John McLaughlin, will take place on July 14 at 12.30pm, inviting audiences into a wider reflection on the architectures of dialogue and assembly.
