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Paul Johnson


Paul Johnson is an experienced arts consultant, creative producer, coach & mentor, working across the arts & culture industries in Ireland and internationally.

A creative and strategic thinker with extensive experience in arts management, leadership, strategy development, coaching & mentoring. Paul is the former Chief Executive of Dance Ireland (2006 – 2020), where he led on the successful opening of DanceHouse, establishing a public-facing flagship home for dance in Ireland.

His background is in dance. Over a 21 year career he worked as a performer, choreographer and creative collaborator, with a range of companies and artists including Transitions Dance Company, Dublin Contemporary Dance Theatre, IMDT, Scottish Ballet Steps Out, TAG, Druid Theatre Co, icontact, Sarah-Jane Scaife and Pauline Cummins.

He ran his own company MaNDaNCE (1991-2001) touring nationally & internationally works created in collaboration with composer Eugene Murphy and Lighting Designer Paul Keogan. He was appointed the first Choreographer in Residence with Project Arts Centre (1998 – 2001) documented in Fine Lines on Shifting Ground: Reflections on a Choreographic Process (Project Press, 2000).

Other management & leadership roles include Artists Services Manager with the Arts Council (2003 – 2006), Registrar of Aosdána and Interim Director Firkin Crane Cork in 2021.

He previously served on the boards of the Arts Council, Dance Resource Base NI, Ballet Ireland and Create; and is currently a trustee director of Irish Modern Dance Theatre (IMDT) and Theatre Forum.

Johnson holds a BA and MA in Communications & Cultural Studies from DCU. In addition to undertaking his own professional development, he is currently engaged in coaching & mentoring artists alongside strategy development processes for a range of arts clients.

Paul joined the ADI board in spring 2024, and took over the role of Chair that September.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson

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