Galway City Council is seeking a new operator for the former Pálás Cinema, which closed down earlier this year.
The city council is seeking expressions of interest from parties interested in taking over the cinema, whether to continue its old use or convert it to another cultural purpose.
The city council is proposing to provide the property with a long term lease but without any charge to the operator.
No other financial support will be provided to the operator by Galway City Council.
The Pálás Arthouse Cinema on Merchant’s Road is a three-screen, 322-seater arthouse cinema located in Galway City centre.
The cinema opened in 2018 and was operated by Picture Palace Cinema Ltd until its closure in February 2025.
Additional facilities include box office, kiosk shop, kitchen, café / bar space and office space.
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.
