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Annual Alumni Lecture 2024 

Mary McCarthy, Director of the Crawford Art Gallery.

'Stories from behind the closed doors of Crawford Art Gallery'

Thursday, December 5  |  6:30pm ((opens in a new window)in-person & online registration)

Mary was appointed Director of the Crawford Art Gallery, Ireland's only National Cultural Institution located fully outside Dublin in 2018 and since then has worked with the Gallery team and the Board to advance a major capital redevelopment programme - Transforming Crawford Art Gallery. Working with Grafton architects this major once in a generation programme will be under construction from Spring 2025.
 
As well as significantly developing the Gallery’s collection through acquisitions and donations, Mary has worked to extend the Gallery’s presence and visibility and has worked with MTU CCAD and MTU Cork School of Music to develop meaningful partnerships.  
 
Originally from West Cork, Mary McCarthy studied English and Philosophy in UCC followed by a post-graduate diploma in Arts Management in UCD. She has worked in commercial galleries in New York and Dublin as well as at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). She served as Director of the National Sculpture Factory in Cork and was Director of Programmes for Cork’s European Capital of Culture bid, and year-long term, in 2005. Subsequent to that she took up a position as the first Arts and Culture Manager at Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Mary has served as Chair of Culture Ireland, Ireland's State agency for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide. She has also been a Board Member of IMMA and the Cork Film Festival. She has served on several European Commission working groups on culture, cities and cultural development, and has been an assessor for European Capital of Culture cities. Most recently, she sat on the Irish Government’s Taskforce on Arts and Culture Recovery during Covid times. Mary has a strong belief in the role of cultural activity as a catalyst for dialogue and connectivity. 

 a person standing in a gallery

UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy Alumni Research Support Award

The School of Art History and Cultural Policy Alumni Research Support Award was established to support up to three annual Research Support Awards to the sum of €500 each. These grants are open to postgraduate students who are currently registered for the taught MA, MLitt or PhD programmes in the School. The Alumni Research Support Award is made possible by the alumni of the School of Art History and Cultural Policy and is intended to flexibly support and/ or enhance programme study and research expenses. Generous donations from School Alumni have allowed us to make six Alumni Research Support Awards since 2022.   (opens in a new window)Donate >>>>

UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy Alumni Newsletter 

  
Catch up on the School & our alumni in our biannual newsletter in which we share School activities and insights from students who benefit from the Alumni Research Support Award, and we spotlight the endeavours of our fantastic alumni. 

UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy

Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 8162 | E: arthistory.culturalpolicy@ucd.ie