Padraig Naughton Guest Speaker at Arts For All PLATFORM Gathering

Find Out More About More About Padraig Naughton Director of Arts & Disability Ireland, who will be speaking at our Inclusive Online Platform Gathering on April 27th!

Pádraig Naughton became Executive Director of Arts & Disability Ireland in 2005.  Under his direction ADI has evolved into being the national resource and development organisation for arts and disability in Ireland.  ADI works strategically in partnership with the arts sector to champion the creativity of artists with disabilities and promote inclusive experiences for audiences with disabilities.  Activities include commissioning innovative collaborations, national provision of audio description and captioning for live theatre and support for artists in the development of new work through funding, residency, mentoring and training opportunities.  

Pádraig is currently undertaking an LLM in International & Comparative Disability Law & Policy at NUI Galway (2020/22).  He holds a PGCE in Arts & Design Teaching, Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds West Yorkshire (1998) and a Degree in Craft Design Ceramics, National College of Art & Design Dublin (1993).  While a student Pádraig developed a specialist interest in art and visual impairment that grew into a studio practice focusing on tactile experimental sculpture and landscape drawing.  Subsequently Pádraig became Artists Manager and then Artistic Director with Equata: Disability Arts Development Agency for South West England (2003) and was nominated by Arts Council England to participate in the first Creative Cultural Leadership Programme established by Exeter University and Dartington College of Art (2004-06).  

Pádraig has served on the Boards of the Arts & Disability Forum (an All-Island membership organisation) 2002-2003 & 2007-2009 and Kildare Arts in Context (with an initial focus on seeking broader funding opportunities for the creation of local music instrument banks) 2010-2012.  Pádraig was co-opted to the VSA Affiliate Council in 2013 and elected Chair in 2015.  During his tenure he guided this global network of Affiliates from 37 US states and 50 countries, to transition to an open international membership of arts and disability organisations, which since 2019 has been managed by the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.  In 2016 Pádraig’s Arts & Disability Radio programme broadcast on Near FM received a Social Benefit (Talk) Award from CRAOL the Community Radio Forum of Ireland.  In 2017 Pádraig participated in the Leadership Development for Transition and Change, a programme designed by the Social Intelligence Associates to maximise the impact and potential of leaders in the Irish not-for-profit and voluntary sectors.