David Anderson / United Kingdom
David Anderson was born in Belfast in Northern Ireland, grew up in the English Midlands, and studied Irish History at Edinburgh University in Scotland. After first working as a history teacher in a state comprehensive school, he began his museum career as an educator in Brighton in England, before moving to the National Maritime Museum in London and then the V&A in London. In 2010 he became the Director General of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. Under his leadership, the museum has begun a major $42 million redevelopment at the St. Fagans open air museum, which will be transformed to become the National Museum of History for Wales. As a result of the destruction of industry in Wales by the United Kingdom government, and its imposition of neoliberal ideologies and austerity, Wales has the highest levels of poverty in the United Kingdom, and some of the highest in Europe. In partnership with the Welsh Government, the museum is now leading research and evaluation for a national project to overcome the consequences of poverty in Wales’ poorest communities, through cultural participation. David is a member of the Boards of the UK Museums Association, and Creative and Cultural Skills and is also a member of the Advisory Committee of British Council Wales. He has written many articles on museums and cultural policy, a UK government report on museums and learning, and two children’s books.
ORGANIZATION: National Museum Wales
SHORT BIO: Director
WEBSITE: www.museumwales.ac.uk/
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