Mermaid Announces Aoife Demel as new Artistic Director/CEO

Mermaid Arts Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Aoife Demel as our new Artistic Director/CEO.

Aoife, who has been a vital part of the Mermaid team as Marketing & Communications Manager and acting Director, will assume her new role immediately, taking over from Julie Kelleher. Her deep understanding of the organisation, combined with her commitment to fostering meaningful connections with artists and audiences, makes her ideally suited to expand Mermaid’s role as a vibrant arts hub that serves local, national, and international artists and engaging communities and audiences in Wicklow and beyond.

Commenting on the appointment, Mermaid Arts Centre’s Chairperson Anne Ferris said:

“The appointment of Aoife Demel as our Artistic Director is terrific news. Aoife has been a core member of the Mermaid team since 2007, joining at Mermaid’s 5th birthday, and has been instrumental in the success of the Arts Centre and to the growth and expansion of the YARN Storytelling Festival in particular. Mermaid exists to create connection and it is Mermaid’s priority to ensure we support the work of local artists and creatives as well as bringing world class cultural experiences to Wicklow audiences. Aoife brings broad experience of both and a deep knowledge of Wicklow thanks to her years of experience in both the role of Marketing & Communications Manager and Creative Producer of the YARN Storytelling Festival. I know Aoife will bring vision and energy, providing bold, diverse and ambitious artistic programming to as diverse a range of audiences as possible”.

Commenting on her new appointment, Aoife Demel said:

“I’m thrilled and honoured to step into the role of Artistic Director/CEO at Mermaid Arts Centre. As a native of Bray, I am immensely proud of the leadership role Mermaid has played in the development and presentation of work across disciplines and inspired by its potential to expand its role within our community. I look forward to working with our highly committed team and Board in bringing our vision forward as we continue our work to connect artists and audiences across County Wicklow through unforgettable artistic experiences. I’m grateful to the board for entrusting me to lead and champion this important arts centre and I’m very excited to build upon the remarkable foundations of my predecessors, especially that of Julie Kelleher, as we embark on this next chapter”.


Aoife Demel - Biography
Aoife Demel is a native of Bray, Co. Wicklow. She holds a B.A. in Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies and has over 20 year’s strategic and operational experience in the national cultural and heritage sector. She has worked as Marketing & Communications Manager in Mermaid since 2007 and as Creative Producer of the YARN Storytelling Festival for the past 15 years. Aoife’s passion is community engagement and artist support.

Prior to joining Mermaid Arts Centre she worked at the National Museum of Ireland and Irish Distillers.

Aoife is Chair of Storytellers of Ireland, Co-Director of the Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival & Creative Producer of the Fadó Fadó Storytelling Festival in Dun Laoghaire.