Holly Fairgrieve in Conversation with The Gallyry Founder, Ally Faughnan

How does one address and challenge the lack of spaces in the art industry that actively seek to promote and support women in the arts? That was a question  Ally Faughnan  found herself pondering whilst finishing her university degree and struggling to emerge in the world of arts journalism. She had experienced difficulty finding media outlets that would afford her the opportunity to write about what really interested her — women in the arts and their work, which both interested and inspired her.   

“I was writing my dissertation on the representation of feminism in arts journalism and I quickly  realised  that there was a lack of spaces actively celebrating women in the arts,”  Faughnan  tells MADE IN BED via email.  “I was also an emerging writer wanting to create articles celebrating women in the arts, but I was struggling to get myself out there in the established world of journalism.”  So, in 2019,  Faughnan  founded The  Gallyry,  a platform celebrating  both  women and non-binary creatives.   

Here,  Faughnan  speaks to MADE IN BED about  The  Gallyry, and the website’s first online exhibition, The Apocalypse Will Blossom. 

HF: How did you come up with the idea for The  Gallyry  and what was your vision for the platform?  

AF: The  Gallyry  was born while I was still at university. I was writing my dissertation on the representation of feminism in arts journalism and I quickly  realised  that there was a lack of spaces actively celebrating women in the arts. I was also an emerging writer wanting to create articles celebrating women in the arts, but I was struggling to get myself out there in the established world of journalism, so I thought why not set up a platform myself!  

HF: How has your vision and mission changed since you launched?  

AF: Over the past two years The  Gallyry  has developed in so many ways. It started out as a small blog about women in the arts (with a few articles written by myself) and has become an online magazine with over 60 writers from around the world contributing to the platform.  

  Recently  The  Gallyry  magazine has relaunched as a platform celebrating women and non-binary creatives. I wanted to practice what I preach and, while it is currently not possible to pay writers what they deserve for their articles, we are moving forward as a  platform spotlighting creatives  working today, with interviews written up by myself.  

HF: Why do you think it’s important for women and non-binary people around the world in the arts to have a platform dedicated specifically to them?  

AF: Putting women and non-binary people to the front has always been important, as with so many industries, they often haven’t been. The creative industry can also be quite isolating and daunting, especially when you’re starting out. I find being able to see other people doing what they love so inspiring and I hope that platforming so many different creatives will help to create a more connected industry.  

HF: Is there a guiding thought to the programming, apart from featuring women and non-binary creatives?  

AF: The  Gallyry  aims to embrace the eclectic nature of the creative industry in  its  programming and platform people working across as many different fields as possible. I think it’s important to show that you can be creative in so many different ways – from making YouTube videos to working in the sneaker  industry  – it’s all about finding what you’re passionate about!  

HF: Did you ever receive any backlash for what you were trying to accomplish?  

AF: As an emerging platform, all the feedback so far has actually been so supportive! It’s amazing to see how people can come together over social media to encourage each other. But I am also constantly growing with the platform and hope that I would take on board any backlash as a learning opportunity.  

HF: Is collaboration and community activation important to your practice? And if so, why?   

AF: Collaboration and community have been integral parts of The  Gallyry  from the start. Especially at the moment, creating a platform that isn’t competing with everyone else but wanting to compliment all the other amazing initiatives out there is so important.  

  The  Gallyry  has previously collaborated with the incredible Made  By  Women Zines to create bookmarks celebrating artists from history – which was such a fun project to showcase what we both do. I can’t wait for more exciting collaborations which are in the pipeline… so keep an eye out!  

HF: Tell us about The Apocalypse Will Blossom.  

AF: In the midst of lockdown when all the galleries were closed, I decided to put on an online exhibition called The Apocalypse Will Blossom. Inspired by one of Jenny Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays (1979-1982), which ends with the line  “The apocalypse will blossom,”  this exhibition celebrated courage, patience, and hope – three themes that are still particularly relevant to the times we’re going through.  

  15 artists were selected and their work was curated into an interactive online space to showcase the wonderful work of the artists involved, as well as provide a space to reflect on everything happening around us. Without the pandemic, this online exhibition might not have happened, but I now think that online shows are the way forward. You can check out the artists involved here.  

HF: What advice would you give to other young people hoping to start their own publication or any other kind of creative project?  

AF: Go for it! If you have a great idea and can’t see anyone else out there doing it, what do you have to lose? We’re living in a time of hustle culture and I think it is important not to get caught up in the idea that we always have to be doing more and more. However, through The  Gallyry, I’ve found a way to channel my creativity, express my interests, and meet new people so I would definitely say just start – who knows what The  Gallyry  could be now if I had started five years earlier!  

HF: Finally, what are your plans for The  Gallyry  this year?  

AF: As  The  Gallyry  magazine just relaunched I am hoping to keep consistently publishing interviews with amazing new creatives. There’s  also a few exciting collaborations with some of the creatives I’ve previously interviewed for the site coming soon! It’s crazy to think 2020 is almost coming to an end and I’ve been starting to brainstorm what a potential podcast might look like… but that might have to wait until next year! 

Thank you, Ally. 

Stay updated with The Gallyry through their website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Imagery courtesy of thegallyry.com  

Holly Fairgrieve, 

Creative Director, MADE IN BED