Team
Five creative people once had the good fortune to end up working together. With wide-ranging experience across multiple art forms – from theatre to the world of digital arts, literature to outdoor spectacle, visual arts to site-specific work, policy development and project management to strategic planning – we worked successfully as a team for Galway 2020 European Capital Culture. And the next step was obvious to us all. The desire to pool our collective expertise and channel our passion for creating and producing great cultural experiences led to the creation of Culture Works.
Meet the team
Matti Allam
Matti’s work focuses on project management, international partnership development and research for the arts and culture sector. With a passion for fostering cultural cooperation and supporting the exchange of cultural experiences, she has delivered projects in Ireland and the UK in collaboration with twenty countries throughout Europe such as Sweden, Poland, Italy, Croatia and France. She also has a strong interest in environmental sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint where possible. She is a member of The Capacity Building for European Capitals of Culture pool of multi-disciplinary experts. Matti previously managed projects at the Western Development Commission, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, Film London, Arts Council England and the University of Liverpool/Impacts 08.
Craig Flaherty
Craig specialises in curating and producing for theatre, festivals, street art and artist development programmes. He has produced work both in Ireland and internationally working with a number of leading arts organisations and initiatives (for Druid: DruidShakespeare, Waiting for Godot, Beauty Queen of Leenane. For Galway 2020: Public Programme Launch Spectacle, Fresh Street 3, International Seminar for the Development of Street Arts). Craig was selected to take part in the French Institut’s Focus Cirque international focus for programmers) 2019. In addition, Craig has a keen interest in developing new platforms and networks for artists as well as audience development and engagement. Craig is currently Senior Producer – Abbey Theatre and has previously worked as Culture Producer – Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, Curator and Advisor – Coffeewerk & Press, Project Manager and Co-Founder, JOLT & Volition, Director – St Patrick’s Festival Galway, Venue Manager – Galway International Arts Festival and Production Assistant with Macnas.
Liz Kelly
Liz’s work spans strategic planning, policy development and specific artform programming. Working in creative consultancy roles to a range of arts organisations and local authorities all over Ireland, she has also worked at national level as a programme manager and adviser to The Arts Council. She is currently Programme Director at Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival Dublin and past roles have also included Cultural Producer – Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, Curator of the Ennis Book Club Festival and Lead Curator for the National Bealtaine Festival for Age and Opportunity. She has been CEO at The Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, glór, Ennis and Cumann Náisiúnta na gCór (now Sing Ireland). She was an adjunct lecturer at Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick from 2012 to 2016 and is currently on the Board of Directors of St John’s Theatre and Arts Centre, Listowel.
Denise McDonagh
Denise has a professional background in visual art practices, film, animation and digital arts. Working as a creative producer and digital arts consultant with arts organisations and local authorities around Ireland, she has extensive experience in the areas of programming, producing, artistic development and policy. Her roles have included Creative Producer and Digital Arts Consultant – Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival, Tipperary and Wicklow Arts Offices, Creative Digital Programme Manager – Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, Producer – TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, and Producer – Galway Simon Virtual Sleepout. She also has a keen interest in creativity in education having delivered creative learning applications, conferences, workshops and courses for the Professional Development Services for Teachers (PDST). Denise has received a number of artist bursaries from the Arts Council in support of her work as a visual artist and won an IFTA for the live TV event Fleadh TV 2013.