Cian Smyth is a cultural programmer and producer who has advised, commissioned or made work with artists across disciplines: from film to visual arts; performing arts to digital works.
Projects include work with Artichoke, Danny Boyle, Circa, Jeremy Deller, dreamthinkspeak, Duckie, Suzanne Lacy, John Peel Archive and Sadler’s Wells. Made with commissioning partners like London 2012, Hull UK City of Culture, The Space and 14-18 NOW. They have reached an audience of millions.
His career began as a bookseller in Ireland’s oldest bookstore, Hodges Figgis, where he became their Art Department buyer. He went on to work at various international film festivals before joining the UK Film Council and the founding team at Northern Ireland Screen.
He founded the Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition with Albert Maysles at the Belfast Film Festival in 2005 and was a co-founder (2007) and Chair (2013 -2020) of Outburst Queer Arts Festival, working with queer artists and activists in Northern Ireland, South America and the Middle East. He is formerly a board member of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (2015- 2020) and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
He continues to advise on nationwide and international cultural programmes while directing an arts programme for Ulster University.
