Barbara Dawson

Barbara Dawson (born 26 April 1957) is an Irish author, editor, art historian, gallery director, and curator.

Dawson graduated from University College Dublin in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in history.

She has been the gallery's director since 1991.

She authored several books including Hugh Lane Gallery: Director's Choice.

In 1991, at the age of 34, she became the Director of the Hugh Lane Gallery, located in Parnell Square in Dublin.

The gallery is owned by the municipality of Dublin and overseen by Dublin's city manager, to whom Dawson, as gallery director, reports via the City and County Librarian.

Frieze Masters wrote of Dawson's accomplishments at the Hugh Lane Gallery that "Dawson's capable negotiations are among her numerous successes during her tenure as director. Here, she has built upon the existing collections and innovated new collection strands, developed conservation infrastructures, advanced and digitized the archive, adapted display architectures (including a bespoke space for the historic stained-glass collection), introduced a strong publishing strand, enhanced the education and public programs, installed a cafe and a bookshop, and continuously energized both the temporary and contemporary exhibition programmes".

Dawson has curated notable exhibitions for Hugh Lane Gallery, such as:

In June 1992, the year after Dawson became Director of the Hugh Lane Gallery, the painting In The Omnibus by French artist Honore Daumier was stolen.

The theft took place in the afternoon during the hours when the gallery was open to the public.

Dawson acquired Francis Bacon's London studio for the museum in 1998.

The 6 meter by 4 meter studio was reconstructed inside the Hugh Lane Gallery to the smallest details, including ceiling, flooring, and dirt.

She is curator of several art exhibitions including the works of notable artists such as Francis Bacon (2009).

Dawson is the first female director of the Hugh Lane Gallery, a municipal art gallery and "the first known public gallery of modern art in the world" in Dublin.

In recognition of her 2010 contributions to the fine arts, she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the National College of Art & Design (NCAD), and is an adjunct professor at the School of Art History and Cultural Policy, University College Dublin.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) recovered the painting during an investigation in 2013, more than 20 years later.

Dawson expressed her delight that the painting had been found.

She said "It was such a shock when it was stolen and we had messages of sympathy from galleries and museums in Ireland and around the world."

Dawson has authored and edited multiple books and texts on contemporary and modern art such as:

According to The Phoenix, in 2017, Dawson launched a five-year strategy for "doubling visitor numbers, significantly upping funding, undertaking a near €4m refurbishment programme and purchasing major artworks" from 2018 to 2023.

She is the recipient of the 2019 University College of Dublin Alumni Award, in part for being "one of the most significant figures in the Irish art world in recent decades".

In 2019, she was awarded the UCD Alumni Award in Arts & Humanities.

She serves as a member of the Dublin City Council's Public Art Advisory Committee, and has been a mentor to women at other Irish museums.

Dawson's early gallery experiences began with the National Gallery of Ireland.