Gallery Assistant Development Programme 2026
The Gallery Assistant Development Programme is a curated opportunity for a small group of artists, art students and those with an active interest in contemporary art to engage with TULCA Festival of Visual Arts from inside the festival.
Selected participants will spend time alongside the festival team across the preparation and duration of the festival, gaining insight into curatorial thinking, gallery operations, and the wider ecology of contemporary art production. It is a space to learn, ask questions, and have honest conversations about what it means to work in and around contemporary art.
Places are limited to 6 –10 participants.
What the programme offers
Behind the scenes access to the curatorial and organisational process
Facilitated group discussions on art, practice, and the festival context
One to one mentoring sessions with members of the TULCA team
Practical introductions on gallery operations and visitor engagement
A certificate of participation on completion of the programme
Programme structure
Before the festival Participants meet as a group ahead of opening for an orientation session. This introduces the festival programme, the venues, and the curatorial framework behind this year's edition. It is also a chance for the group to get to know one another before the festival begins.
During the festival, participants will spend agreed time across festival venues as gallery assistants, with structured time built in for learning and discussion. A typical week might include:
2 gallery sessions of approximately 3 hours each a week — present in a venue, engaging with visitors and the work. Sessions are agreed in advance and scheduled around your availability.
1 group discussion session — a facilitated conversation responding to the programme, usually 1.5 hours
Access to talks, openings, and public events as part of the festival
One brief check-in with the Gallery Manager
Approximate weekly time commitment: 10 hours - There is no obligation beyond what is agreed at the start of the programme, and scheduling is always done in dialogue with you.
End of the festival - a closing session brings the group back together to reflect on the experience. Participants are invited to share thoughts on their own practice in light of what they encountered. This session also opens a conversation about next steps - further opportunities, connections made, and how the experience sits within each participant's broader development.
Who it is for
The programme is open to artists, art students, aspiring cultural managers and those with an active interest in contemporary art. We are looking for people who are genuinely curious, who want to understand how a festival is made, and who are willing to engage actively with the work, the spaces, and each other.
Participants must be age 18 or older and available to take part across the festival period.
How to apply
To apply, email volunteer@tulca.ie with a short note explaining why you would like to take part and what you hope to get from the programme.
Deadline: 27 September 2026
TULCA Festival of Visual Arts
Veruca Salt
Curated by Sinéad Keogh
6-22 November 2026
Galway, Ireland
www.tulca.ie
Video: Laura Griffin