MARS on Nuns Island was an Arts led intervention hosted by UrbanLab as part of the 2022 Galway International Arts Festival. Mars, by British artist Luke Jerram is an 8 metre wide rendering of the Red Planet based on NASA imagery. The free event attracted over 10,000 visitors to the derelict Persse’s distillery on Nuns Island.

Persse’s whiskey was known the world over for its subtle taste and innovative blend. The distillery was once one of the city’s largest employers has laid vacant for the past 60 years

In 2022, we set out to activate the space anew. We used the artwork to entice visitors to see this long hidden part of the city. We also took the opportunity to engage festival goers through a variety of methods. We did this to capture public visions and dreams with regard to the space. Preliminary results are in the video above.