Ardán returns to Galway city centre as film group takes over former Romero Games base
Galway’s film centre Ardán is moving back to the city centre as the group announced they are taking over the former Romero Games space.
Ardán is a film, TV, games, and animation organisation based in Galway that supports the creative screen industries across the West of Ireland and throughout the country.
The non-profit film group will be moving from the CREW Hub on Wellpark Road to the Ard Rí House on Abbeygate Street Lower, the old home of Romero Games who made over 100 staff redundant last July after significant funding cuts.
Wellpark Road has been home to Ardán for the last 32 years. Galway Film Centre opened in 1989 as a resource for local filmmakers and moved its office to what is now known as ATU’s Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) in 1994.
In 2022, they rebranded as Ardán – meaning platform or stage – to “encompass the evolving screen industry we support,” they explained. In 2024, Ardán moved into the CREW Hub, of which it is a founding member.
The new HQ will takeover the Romero Games offices on Lower Abbeygate Street.
“As we move our headquarters back to Galway city centre – where Galway Film Resource Centre originally started its journey back in 1989 – Ardán continues its mission to support and platform screen creatives and to be a key part of the ecosystem in the West of Ireland. This relocation allows the team at Ardán to continue to provide the creative talent opportunities we always have, and to expand that support even further.” Alan Duggan, Ardán CEO
The group also thanked the team at CREW “for hosting us so well these last two years”, as well as the team at ATU Galway City “for hosting our team for many years before that”.
The CEO of CREW Niamh Costello congratulated Ardán on their transition saying that kind of progress is “exactly the kind of milestone CREW is designed to support.”
“As a founding partner, Ardán has played a central role in shaping both the hub and the wider ecosystem. Through our collaboration, particularly in strengthening supports for digital creative startups, we’ve seen real progress across the region. Their expansion into a new city centre headquarters is a strong signal of that momentum, and we look forward to continuing our work together in this next phase,” Ms Costello added.
Ardán will move into the new offices by the end of May.