William Blair

I am the Director of Collections at National Museums Northern Ireland, with overall responsibility for curatorial, collections management, interpretation and programming. As a member of the executive leadership team, I am setting a new strategic direction for the organisation. This is spearheaded by initiatives that are changing perceptions and building new audiences – all underpinned by the goal of long-term relevancy and sustainability. I am responsible for curatorial, collections services and audience development, leading on the delivery of corporate commitments relating to access, inclusion and diversity. This is particularly expressed through two strategic programmes - 'The Troubles and Beyond' and 'Inclusive Global Histories' - both of which are driven by our organisational values and ethics. I have performed a representational role on various professional and sectoral bodies and was recently Chairman of the Irish Museums Association.