Governance
Our mission is to provide sustainable, accessible and professionally supported platforms that enable artists to develop, make and present their work.
Our Future
MART is going through some exciting changes. Throughout 2026, our studios, gallery, events and activities is operated by Hatch Space DAC {formally Mart Gallery & Studios DAC}. Our new not-for-profit company, MART Gallery & Studios CLG, has now been established and, from 2027, will operate MART’s Old Fire Station and Grainstore studio buildings alongside its programme of exhibitions, projects and activities. We are making these changes so that MART can focus its limited public funding on supported and subsidised artist spaces and its not-for-profit arts programme, while Hatch Space manages the wider studio network on a separate, self-sustaining basis.
Visit Board Match for our current call out for additional Board of Directors.
Governance
MART Gallery & Studios CLG is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, established to support artists and contemporary visual arts through affordable workspace, artistic programming, professional development and creative opportunities. MART is committed to good governance, transparency and accountability. Our structure separates the long-term stewardship and governance of the organisation from its day-to-day management and programme delivery.
Governance Structure
Company Members
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Board of Directors
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Executive Team
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Programmes & Operations
Each part of this structure has a distinct role in supporting the organisation and protecting MART’s purpose.
Governance Appointments
MART seeks to ensure that its governance continues to develop and renew over time. New Board Directors are recruited through annual open calls or when vacancies arise or when additional skills and experience are required. Company Membership is a longer-term stewardship role. New Company Members may be appointed from time to time in accordance with MART’s Constitution to support succession and organisational continuity. Former Board Directors may be considered for Company Membership following completion of their Board service, alongside other individuals with an established understanding of and commitment to MART’s mission.
Company Members
The Company Members are the legal members of MART Gallery & Studios CLG and exercise the responsibilities assigned to them under the organisation’s Constitution.
Company Membership provides continuity and long-term stewardship of MART. The Members are separate from the Board of Directors and do not manage the organisation’s day-to-day activities.
Current Company Members
Declan Breen
Company MemberDeclan Breen is a sustainability professional with over a decade of experience developing and delivering policeis, environmental strategies across operations, procurement and commercial environments. His work focuses on translating complex environmental and regulatory requirements into practical programmes that support decarbonisation, renewable energy, resource efficiency and sustainable business practices, while working across teams and stakeholders to embed sustainability into long-term organisational decision-making.
Katherine Nolan
Company MemberDr Katherine Nolan is an artist, lecturer, researcher and curator specialising in gender, performance and new media. She is a Lecturer in Creative Digital Media at Technological University Dublin, and her artistic practice works primarily across live and lens-based performance. Katherine has exhibited internationally across Europe, America and Asia. Recent publications include Fear of Missing Out: Performance Art through the Lens of Participatory Digital Culture (2021) and Reading Queer Irish Performance across Live and Digital Practice (2021)
Aoife Bambury
Company MemberAoife Bambury is a contemporary visual artist investigating the interplay between humanity and the natural world. Her multidisciplinary practice, spanning sculpture, painting, and digitally-rendered print, interweaves organic elements with imagined forms, to contemplate themes of loss and transition.
Aoife works within the area of arts in education through her role as a Teacher Creative Associate with Creative Schools (The Arts Council) and through facilitation of the TAP Teacher Artist Partnership programme with Drumcondra Education Centre and Arts in Education-Tralee Education Centre.
Educated at NCAD and CIT, Crawford, Aoife had her first solo show in 2022 and her sculptural work is held in the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s collection, and has featured at RHA and RUA Annual Exhibitions, Sculpture in Context and Mason Hayes and Curran Selected Artists Exhibition.
Board of Directors
MART is governed by a voluntary, non-executive Board of Directors.
The Board provides independent oversight of the organisation and is responsible for ensuring that MART is appropriately governed, financially sustainable and operating in accordance with its mission and obligations.
The Board’s responsibilities include oversight of:
- MART’s strategic direction and artistic mission
- Financial management and organisational sustainability
- Governance, risk and compliance
- Organisational policies
- Oversight and support of the Executive Team
- Public funding and accountability
- Long-term organisational development
Board Directors serve in a voluntary capacity and are not responsible for MART’s day-to-day management.
MART seeks to maintain a Board with a broad range of relevant skills and perspectives, including experience in areas such as the arts, governance, finance, legal and compliance, property, fundraising and organisational development.
Current Board of Directors
Lorcan Lawler
Chairperson - Board of DirectorsLorcan Lawler is a Chartered Surveyor with extensive experience across Ireland and UK in real estate advisory and management in various financial institutions, private practice and the public service. Now retired, he concentrates on his interests in travel, classical music, fine art and motorcycling.
Jill Beecher
Board of DirectorsJill Beecher is a Production Designer, Art Director and Concept Illustrator whose work spans feature films and high-end visual storytelling. She has contributed to acclaimed projects including The Revenant, Alien: Covenant, Frankenstein and The Odyssey, where she brings immersive worlds and nuanced visual narratives to life. Her photography work explores light and atmosphere. Her images often reflect her background in cinema and design, emphasising composition, mood and the subtle interplay between space and narrative, inviting viewers to step into worlds both familiar and imagined.
Chloe Freaks
Company Secretary - Board of DirectorsChloe Freaks is an artist, educator and art director with more than twenty years of experience working across performance, visual art and film. She has worked, exhibited and performed internationally, developing a practice that spans live performance, installation and lens based work. in 2007 Chloe was a founding member of MART Gallery & Studios and has strong passion in the development of its artist led programme and studio community. Alongside her artistic practice, she has worked as an art director on a range of film and television productions and has extensive experience as an educator, supporting emerging artists and creative practitioners.
James Dalton
Treasurer - Board of DirectorsJames Dalton is a business development actuary and over two decades of experience spanning finance, insurance and technology. His work has focused on pricing strategy, portfolio profitability, risk management, governance, reinsurance, systems development and market expansion across Irish and international protection markets. He brings strong expertise in analytics, strategy, governance and organisational risk.
Executive Team
The Executive Team is responsible for the day-to-day management, artistic development and operational delivery of MART. The Executive Team reports to the Board of Directors and works within the strategy, budgets and policies approved by the Board.
Ciara Scanlan
Co Executive DirectorCiara Scanlan is an Artist and Curator based in Dublin. She holds a Masters in Art in the Digital World from NCAD Dublin and graduated from Crawford College of art in 2005 with a First class BA in Fine Art. In her Art practice she is interested in the ever-present force of the media and its ability to both unify and segregate society. Ciara works primarily through the medium of Video, performance, web based interventions. She is a founding Director of MART since 2007; a multidisciplinary arts organisation that is committed to the development and promotion of Contemporary Visual Arts.
Email:ciara@mart.ie
Matthew Nevin
Co Executive DirectorMatthew Nevin is a Cultural Producer with over 20 years of experience working in film, television and the arts throughout the US, Ireland, UK and Europe. He is Co-Director of The MART Gallery & Studios Dublin where he oversees the running of over 100 artist studios and a Contemporary Art Gallery, and serves as Executive Director of CIACLA – The Contemporary Irish Art Center Los Angeles – a non profit which produces contemporary Irish cultural events in California.
Matthew has recently Produced and Directed the award winning feature length documentary What is Going to Happen Next?, which reaches into the minds of one person from every country in the world; winning several awards and screening at 21 international film festivals. Recently produced projects include the short films ‘Maggie’ and ‘180 Degrees’ both filmed during the covid-19 pandemic. As an Art Director & Designer for film and tv he has worked on hit shows, such as Luther, Eastenders, The Bill, The Amazing Race, working with CBS, BBC, ITV, Element Pictures, RTE, TG4 and MTV.
Matthew has produced over 60 exhibitions internationally, curating several large scale creative projects in Ireland, UK, Europe, USA and Japan; for MART, CIACLA, PQ, IrelandWeek, EUCIA and Imagine Ireland. Through his own artwork he has exhibited internationally and created artwork for leading brands such as Ralph Lauren.
Matthew is a passionate advocate for the arts, he looks to create conversation and dialogue about key world issues, directly connecting the audience with a relatable narrative. He has a particular interest in the creation of inclusive projects that actively break down social and economic barriers.
Matthew holds a degree in Film & TV & Scenography from the University of Wales Aberystwyth and a Masters in Art in the Contemporary World from National College of Art & Design Dublin. He has secured funding from Culture Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, Kildare, Galway & Dublin City Councils, Visual Artists Ireland, IFA Germany, Alliance Francaise, David Manley Awards, JEC Fund, Dept of Foreign Affairs Ireland, Creative Ireland and received a commission from Ralph Lauren.
www.matthewnevin.com – www.mart.ie – www.ciacla.com – www.whatisgoingtohappennext.com
Email:matthew@mart.ie
Edward Sheehy
Operations ManagerEdward is our Operations Manager and knows our buildings inside out. He oversees the day-to-day operation of our studios, supports our studio members, and is always on hand to help with questions about our spaces and facilities. With a background in Animation and Illustration, Edward brings experience in supporting artists, creative spaces and cultural programmes, helping to ensure our studios remain welcoming, well-managed and supportive places for artists to work.
Email:edward@mart.ie
Ewa Pypno
AdministratorEwa received a MA in Art History in University of Wroclaw. Since 2008 she has been based in Dublin where she has worked on several projects including digitisation and indexing of XIX century books in Trinity College Dublin. Prior to her work in MART Ewa worked in Ranelagh Arts Center where she was responsible for organising and facilitating exhibitions and also undertaking administrative tasks.
Email:ewa@mart.ie
Our Governance Principles
Accountability – We maintain clear responsibility for organisational decision-making, financial oversight and performance.
Independence – MART’s voluntary Board provides independent oversight of the organisation and its Executive Team.
Transparency – We aim to communicate clearly about how MART is structured, governed, funded and managed.
Integrity – Company Members, Board Directors and staff are expected to act in the best interests of MART and appropriately declare and manage potential conflicts of interest.
Renewal & Continuity – We seek to balance new perspectives and skills with the institutional knowledge required to support MART’s long-term development.
Sustainability – Governance decisions take account of MART’s artistic mission, available resources and long-term organisational sustainability.
Governance & Policies
MART maintains policies and procedures appropriate to the governance and operation of the organisation.
These include areas such as:
- Conflicts of Interest
- Financial Controls
- Risk Management
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
- Dignity at Work
- Health & Safety
- Data Protection
- Complaints and Feedback
- Artist and Studio Policies
Company Information
MART Gallery & Studios CLG | Company Limited by Guarantee | Company Number: 809330
MART Gallery & Studios CLG operates in accordance with its Constitution and applicable Irish company law.
Principal Address
The MART Gallery
190A Rathmines Road Lower
Dublin 6
Ireland
General Enquiries: info@mart.ie
