Galway 2020 have hired Martin Green, former leader of a British Capital of Culture team, to consult for them after losing Creative Director Chris Baldwin.
Mr. Green was the chief executive of Hull’s capital of culture team in 2017 when the British city held the designation. He has been hired to work with the Galway 2020 team for a four week period.
Aside from his work on Hull Capital of Culture, other noted projects Mr. Green has been involved with include his times as Master of Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
According to the Irish Times Mr. Martin had been hired by Galway 2020 to help design and implement “its new creative strategy.”
Chris Baldwin resigned his position as Creative Director in May, less than a year into his contract, in what the team at Galway 2020 said was a mutual decision.
While his departure sparked some speculation about problems within company, at a special meeting with Galway City council last month Chairperson Aideen McGinley and Chief Executive Hannah Kiely said we’re “on track” to delivering Galway 2020 as expected.
Chairperson McGinley said at the time that there would be an announcement about the position in July, but didn’t comment further on Mr. Baldwin’s departure.
Galway 2020 will be funded to the tune of €46 million to deliver 52 flagship events across the city and county for the ‘Small Towns Big Ideas’ programme.
90% of the projects that were outlined in the bid for Capital of Culture have already been locked in. These will make up roughly 70% of the total programme, with some space left over for any ideas that come forward in the interim.
CEO Kiely said people claiming that it was going to be a disaster were jumping the gun, noting that: “The first event is 18 months out, but the last event is 30 months out.”
At that meeting the city council gave its full backing to the full team at Galway 2020 to deliver on its promise.
