Arts Council of Wales appoints Dai Smith

Dramatic Online, 02 April 2007,United Kingdom

In Wales, the Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport, Alun Pugh has announced the official appointment of Professor Dai Smith as Chair of the Arts Council of Wales. Professor Smith's appointment will run for three years from 1 April 2007. Announcing the appointment, Alun Pugh said: “Professor Smith took on the role of Chair for an interim period in April 2006 and has helped steer the Arts Council through a year in which a comprehensive review has been carried out into funding for the arts in Wales. Dai will have a key role in bringing the recommendations of the Stephens Review to fruition. His skills, expertise and passion to make sure that people in all communities all over Wales have access to high quality arts make him the ideal appointment at this time of change.” In response, Professor Dai Smith talked about the twin roles of “development and access” as being “a responsibility that I regard as both a privilege and a trust". He is clearly primed for the job, having already acted in the role. He commented that he believes that the future of the arts in Wales and the full growth of civic Welsh society are inseparable factors: “We will listen, we will act in partnership, we will facilitate creativity and participation, and we will not be found unwilling to take appropriate risks or to offer constructive leadership." Dai Smith was born in the Rhondda in 1945 and educated at Porth County and Barry Grammar School. He read History and Literature at Balliol College, Oxford; Columbia University, New York; and University of Wales, Swansea. He has taught History at the universities of Lancaster, Swansea and Cardiff and in 1986 was awarded a Personal Chair by the University of Wales. In 1993 he joined the BBC as Editor of Radio Wales and from 1994 to 2000 was Head of Broadcast (English Language) at BBC Wales where he commissioned some award-winning programmes, especially in the Arts and in Drama. He was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Regeneration) at the University of Glamorgan from 2001 and in 2005 became Research Chair in the Cultural History of Wales at Swansea University. He is also a prolific writer on the arts and cultural issues, and has just completed a major biographical study of the Welsh writer and intellectual, Raymond Williams. In more staff moves from the arts circles in Wales, after appointing Nick Beasley as Chief Executive, Audiences Wales are preparing to offer a wider range of services to more arts organisations in Wales than ever before. Audiences Wales' services include qualitative and quantitative research, marketing audit and planning, audience development programmes, data analysis and mapping, print distribution, mailings and its flagship listings website www.whatsonwales.co.uk. They are seeking new Board Members with expertise in the visual or performing arts, fundraising, marketing and financial management.

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