The Arts Council has expressed its sadness at the passing of former colleague Oliver Dowling who has died. Oliver was a leading figure in visual arts in Ireland and a dear colleague and mentor to many artists and arts managers throughout his life. 

Oliver was the Exhibitions Officer for the Arts Council in the late 1960s and returned as the Visual Arts Officer from the late 1990s to 2006.

Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said:

“Oliver’s contribution to the development of contemporary art in Ireland cannot be overestimated. Beyond his roles at the Arts Council, he implemented major steps linking artists and the public in Ireland with the international contemporary art landscape. He worked on Ireland’s ground-breaking art exhibition, ROSC, from the late 1960s, established the Oliver Dowling Gallery in 1975 and drove a vision for Dublin Contemporary in 2011. He was pioneering and visionary, at all times advocating for and supporting new and emerging artists. He wore his experience lightly and shared it widely, and his kindness to others was always in evidence. He leaves an extraordinary impact on the visual arts in Ireland. 

His presence will be greatly missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”

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