New chief appointed at Dunamaise Arts Centre
Ciara O'Connell is the new chief executive of Dunamaise Arts Centre and The Fort in Portlaoise
A NEW chief executive has been appointed at Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise.
Ciara O’Connell takes over the top role vacated by Michelle de Forge, who departed last July after 13 years at the helm.
For the first time, the role also includes leadership of The Fort, the new outdoor performance and event space nearby.
Announcing the news today, the centre said the appointment is ‘a significant step in shaping the future’ of both Dunamaise Arts Centre and The Fort Protector.
The board of Laois Arts Theatre Company, which oversees both venues, added that Ciara’s appointment signals the beginning of ‘an ambitious new path’ and ‘the strengthening of Dunamaise’s position as a centre of creative excellence in the midlands and Ireland’.
With extensive experience leading arts organisations and developing cultural strategies across Ireland and the UK, Ciara has a strong record in arts leadership, programme innovation and community engagement.
Her focus will be on the invigoration of programming and expansion of community engagement, while driving new opportunities for artists and audiences across the midlands and nationally.
The new chief said she was thrilled to join the Dunamaise team “at such an exciting and pivotal moment in its story”.
She said: “With the centre’s deep roots in the local community and the addition of The Fort Protector, there is a real opportunity to expand what the arts can mean for Laois creatively, socially and economically.
“I am looking forward to working with the team, artists and partners to build on its already strong foundations and shape a vibrant, inclusive and ambitious future.”
A specialist in cultural strategy, Ciara is a graduate of UCD, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology and Waterford Institute of Techonology.
Based in Waterford, she has worked throughout Ireland’s cultural sector for the past 15 years and most recently led Curated Place, which ran well-known festivals such as Waterford’s Summer in the City and the Púca festival in Ireland’s Ancient East.
