126 Artist-Run Gallery

Established in 2005, 126 Artist-Run Gallery is an artist-led, not for profit organisation integral to the visual arts ecology and cultural landscape of Galway. Run voluntarily by a Board of Directors, professional artists & curators for 16 years supported by Galway City Council, The Arts Council of Ireland, and Creative Ireland.

126’s mission is to deliver high-quality professional contemporary exhibitions and cultural programming which is free and open to all. This includes artist talks/lectures, workshops, residencies, studio spaces and upskilling opportunities for Galway.

126 is dedicated to supporting artists at all stages of career with a focus on emerging contemporary practices & partnerships. This is achieved by maintaining a centrally located space which is welcoming and open for all to visit and join. 126 is committed to the development of paid opportunities for artists, the fostering of partnerships locally and nationally and to advancing Galway’s cultural capacity.

126 was founded on a democratic structure, in which power flows from the membership to the Board of Directors. The Board promotes the ideology of the membership, as laid out in the organisation’s aims, through the activities of 126. The Board directly represents the membership, and it is on the basis of this relationship that the projected success and longevity of 126 is based. Membership provides a platform for individuals to connect with a larger network of professional artists. There are around 200 members at any given time.¹