about us

Art Arcadia is an artist-led organisation established to provide bespoke artist residencies complemented by associated exhibitions and public programmes. It was initially set up to provide international opportunities for local artists and later, in response to the closure of art spaces and the dramatic reduction of public funding following City of Culture 2013, it shifted its focus from working internationally to building local resilient art practices embedded in the community. Art Arcadia has been active informally since 2012, when Paola Bernardelli set in motion a series of exchanges and residencies in collaboration with local and international artists and arts organisations. Having slowly and organically developed additional projects and a broader network of collaborators, in January 2016, with the support of Kieran Ferris, Art Arcadia was constituted as an organisation and registered as a not-for-profit social enterprise. Art Arcadia is now registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC110299).

our team

Programme Manager

Paola Bernardelli

Paola Bernardelli is an Italian artist and cultural operator who has made Derry her home since 2002. A professional photographer and lens-based artist with over twenty-year experience in contemporary art gallery settings, Paola co-founded of Art Arcadia in 2016 and designed, developed and expanded the organisation drawing on her firsthand experience of taking part in international artist residencies and exhibitions. She has since established a dynamic and on-going programme of bespoke international artist residencies with associated exhibitions and public programmes that is firmly rooted in the local geographical and socio-cultural context.

board of directors:
chair

Colomba Damiani

Colomba is a project and relations manager based in Central Italy working in international development  cooperation. She is involved with high social impact programs, dealing with culture and new communities outreach, migration, global citizenship education, gender parity and equity. She has a diverse and multi-sectorial experience ranging from CRM to marketing and communication to AV production. Colomba has lived and worked in Ireland, Southern India, the Gulf Peninsula and West Africa.  She has attended a number of international seminars and workshops on audio-visual production, distribution and emerging technologies both in Europe and USA.  She has co-produced the multi award winning BBC feature length documentary Paradiso, directed by Alessandro Negrini with executive producer Margo Harkin.  More recently she has managed and coordinated the first edition of UmbriaMiCo, an itinerant cultural festival in 8 cities and 3 regions in Italy, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), under the Education for Global Citizenship award.

treasurer

Gráinne Ketelaar

Gráinne Ketelaar has previously served as Board of Management member, and Treasurer, of Donegal Traveller Project for four years from 2019 to 2023, where she gained experience in the governance and oversight of publicly funded bodies. In her full time role as a Lecturer, primarily on the Health & Social Care degree programme in the Atlantic Technological University, Donegal, she has a role and responsibility in supporting the interpersonal and intellectual growth of professionals who will work in the Health & Social Care field. Gráinne has an interest in the arts, particularly in light of the important role that creativity, self-discovery and discovery processes can play in the therapeutic treatment and care of individuals from all walks of life, who might be struggling with or navigating personal challenges. As a multi-disciplinary researcher, she has a broad set of experiences and insights into the social and commercial determinants of health, addiction, community development, youth work; and a growing interest in sustainability and regenerative growth. Gráinne is a reviewer for a publication called Triple C: Communication, Capitalism & Critique, an active associate member of Social Care Ireland, a member of the Irish Association of Social Care Educators.

secretary

Cecelia Graham

Cecelia Graham is a curator who has several years experience working across artist-led spaces in the north of Ireland. Cecelia previously held the position of Chair of Catalyst Arts’ board, this role involved chairing regular meetings, liaising with ACNI, and implementing welfare improvements within the organisation. Cecelia currently works as Digital Programmes and Marketing coordinator at CCA Derry~Londonderry and has previously held a PR and Marketing position at Void Gallery. Cecelia also has experience of fundraising support having previously gained grants including Belfast City Council funding, Annual Funding programme (an uplift in Catalyst Arts’ funding for the year 22/23), Elephant Trust, Hope Scott foundation, Jerwood Arts. As Curator in Residence at PS2 in Belfast, she has curated several exhibitions and projects, which involved organising and being present at openings. Cecelia also has experience with arts admin across several organisations including Camberwell College of Arts, Catalyst Arts, Golden Thread Gallery, Void Gallery and PS2.

Board member

Eibhlín Morrison

Eibhlín Morrison is an artist from Derry. She graduated from Camberwell College of Art in 2021 where she studied Painting. In 2022 she moved home to Derry to continue her painting practice closer to the environment that has often been the subject of her paintings. Eibhlín has in the past worked as part of the Art Arcadia team as a freelancer.

Volunteer with Art Arcadia

Join our team and work in a creative and friendly environment with local and international artists, helping with exhibitions installation, invigilation and outreach events.

Please send your CV and cover letter via email to info@artarcadia

Join the board at Art Arcadia

Art Arcadia would welcome expressions of interest to join its Board of Directors, from individuals who are keen to develop their own professional experience, contributing to the continued development of Art Arcadia.

Please send your CV and cover letter via email to info@artarcadia

Art Arcadia are particularly interested in members who have experience in:

– Leadership experience within arts organisations.
– Fundraising within arts organisations.
– Arts and business experience.
– Financial, HMRC and administrative experience.
– Marketing and public relations.
– Experienced in social media.
– Recruitment of volunteers.
– Safeguarding policy and procedures with the arts.
– Interest and appreciation of the arts

We would like to hear from individuals who would be keen to join Art Arcadia’s board. Please download and complete our ‘expression of interest’ application and send it via email to paola@artarcadia.org and we will be in touch shortly.

Art Arcadia is a not-for-profit organisation and the role of director on the board is a voluntary one.