Reshuffle of Arts Council Ireland board

The Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, CATHERINE MARTIN, has announced the appointment of five new members and a Chair of the Board of Arts Council Ireland. 

The new line up will include MAURA MCGRATH as Chair and RÓISE GOAN, Dr GARY GRANVILLE, BRIAN Ó GÁIBHÍN, GABY SMYTH and RICHARD YARR. 

Their appointments will be for five years, effective from June 2024, and are the result of an open call for expressions of interest and an assessment process run by the Public Appointments Service.

McGrath has been a member of the National Concert Hall (NCH) board since 2014 and Chair since 2016, during which time she led on the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs to the NCH from RTÉ. As a highly experienced HR consultant, change facilitator, coach and chair her work has spanned the private, public and not-for-profit sectors

Since May 2023, Goan has been Artistic Coordinator with Kunstencentrum Vierniulvier in Ghent, one of Europe’s leading contemporary arts centres. From 2019, Róise was the Artistic Director of Artsadmin in London. She has also worked as Guest Dramaturg at Vooruit in Belgium, and as a freelance arts programmer in Ireland. 

Granville is Emeritus Professor of Education and former Interim Director of the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Dublin. He was previously Assistant Chief Executive of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in Ireland.

Ó Gáibhín is currently Príomhoifigeach Oibríochtaí / Chief Operations Officer of Áras Chrónáin Ionad Cultúir in Dublin where he manages and oversees the development and implementation of an extensive, diverse and inclusive Arts, Cultural and Performance programme in partnership with local and national stakeholders.

Smyth is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, also qualifying as a Certified Mediator (CEDR, London). He has been in financial and taxation consultancy for over thirty years, specialising in the literary, music, film, theatre and visual arts – representing and advising many of the major Irish and international practitioners in these areas.

Yarr is one of Northern Ireland’s best-known arts professionals: an award-winning music and arts producer with the BBC; a recognised innovator in the sector; and the recipient of a national honour – an MBE for Services to Music. He is also a Deputy Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast.

Commenting on the appointments, Martin said: "I am delighted to appoint five candidates of such high calibre to the Board of the Arts Council. The Board is central to the governance, oversight and strategic direction of the Arts Council and I wish to express my gratitude to the existing and new Board Members for giving so generously of their time and playing a part in supporting the arts. 

“I would like to also thank Maura McGrath. This is a very important role and I have no doubt that Maura will bring her extensive experience and vision to the Arts Council and I wish her well in her new role in the next five years."