Mermaid announces Julie Kelleher as new Artistic Director

Mermaid Arts Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Julie Kelleher as our new Artistic Director

Julie will step down from her current position as Artistic Director of The Everyman, Cork to take up the role in mid-September 2020. Her appointment sees her take on the position previously held by Niamh O’Donnell.

Commenting on the appointment, Mermaid Arts Centre’s Chairman Martin Davidson said:

“The appointment of Julie Kelleher as our Artistic Director is wonderful news. We're delighted to welcome her to Wicklow. It's 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. I know Julie 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, Julie Kelleher said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Mermaid Arts Centre, which has an outstanding reputation as a centre for fun, entertainment and for making and enjoying art, and that has artists and audiences always at heart. These are matters of great importance to me too and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to build on the excellent work of my predecessors, especially that of Niamh O’Donnell. I’m grateful to the board for their faith in me to lead the organisation, and I greatly look forward to working with them and the Mermaid team as we continue to ensure that the communities of County Wicklow are enriched through unforgettable artistic experiences.”

Julie Kelleher - Biography

Julie is Artistic Director of The Everyman, Cork, where she is responsible for the programme and artistic strategy. Her background is in performance, directing and producing.

Recent directing credits include: The Lonesome West by Martin McDonagh (2018), Bluetooth by Rachel Thornton (2018), Autumn Royal by Kevin Barry (2018 remount, associate director), Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel (2017), The Factory Girls by Frank McGuinness (2016), The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart by David Greig (2015), Lovers by Brian Friel (2015).

Recent producing credits include the world premiere of Mick Flannery’s Evening Train musical, the Landmark/Everyman co-produced world premiere of Asking for It by Louise O’Neill, the world premiere of Autumn Royal by Kevin Barry (2017) and the Irish premiere of Futureproof by Lynda Radley (2017) for the Everyman.

Julie holds a BA in Drama and English, and an MA in Drama from UCC. She has worked as an actor, director & producer with numerous Irish arts organisations, companies & artists such as Painted Bird, Conflicted, BrokenCrow, Kinsale Arts Week, Cork Midsummer Festival, Hammergrin, Corcadorca, Meridian, Dublin Theatre Festival, Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, The Performance Corporation, Gare St. Lazare, Once Off Productions, Landmark Productions, and Siren Productions.

Julie is Chair of the board of Theatre Forum Ireland which she joined in September 2016. She joined the board of Graffiti Theatre Company in September 2017 and sits on the Irish Playography Panel at Irish Theatre Institute.