In Galway, you can begin by following the traces of an underground scene at Eyre Square, cross the Corrib to see more work on Dominick Street and finish with a punk night at Róisín Dubh. This route says something about TULCA: every autumn, the visual arts festival takes audiences between galleries, a museum and performance venues. In 2026, these places tell the story of what artists can create when they decide to work outside the usual frameworks.
For its 24th edition, curator Sinéad Keogh takes punk as a way of producing and organising. Fifty years after its emergence, what interests her is as much its support networks and DIY approach as its sound or appearance. Archives and contemporary works engage with one another around questions of identity, autonomy and representation. The programme brings together artists and collectives, including Domestic Violence Response Galway and Galway Traveller Movement.
The official opening takes place on Friday 6 November at An Post Gallery, with a reading by Sara R Phillips. The five galleries open to the public the following day. At TULCA Gallery, on Eyre Square, Vivienne Dick’s work is shown alongside, among other things, documents from the RTÉ archives. At An Post Gallery, sculptures, paintings and installations share the space with a project by the Tina collective and Domestic Violence Response Galway. Near the Spanish Arch, Galway City Museum presents commissions involving Madhuri Singh and Nora Mongan, from Galway Traveller Movement.
The programme extends beyond the exhibitions: on 10 November, the Women-Led Punk Night brings together 50 Foot Woman, Ria Rua and Molly Vulpyne with her band at Róisín Dubh. At EYE Cinema, the festival is screening A Place of Rage, by Pratibha Parmar. Consult the official programme to check screening times and bookings.
If you only have an afternoon in Galway, combine An Post Gallery and TULCA Gallery: they are close to one another. To extend your visit, make your way to the museum near the Corrib or cross over to Galway Arts Centre. Check opening days before planning your route: the museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and the other galleries do not all have the same opening hours.
The TULCA accessibility guide distinguishes between step-free access at An Post Gallery, a street entrance that is not step-free at TULCA Gallery despite the presence of a lift, and access limited to the ground floor at Galway Arts Centre. Large-print texts are available on request. Check the details for each event: access arrangements vary, even when the exhibitions are free.
Essential information to help you plan your visit, including key landmarks, access information, and booking options.
18 William Street, Galway, County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Tourist sites in Ireland
