Meet The Team

Michael Weir CEO - Belfast Photo Festival

  • CEO

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    Michael, has a postgraduate in Executive Leadership from Ulster University and is a photography graduate of the University of Wales in Aberystwyth.

    Since 2009 Michael has been the Director of Belfast Photo Festival and initiated as well as curated numerous commissions on exhibitions of contemporary photographic art. He has crafted varied programmes of artist talks, symposiums, residencies, workshops, films and exhibitions over the course of ten festival editions. Noteworthy artists include Ai Wei Wei, Vivianne Sassen, Alec Soth, Roger Ballen, Hannah Starkey and Robert Mapplethorpe.

    Delivering Belfast Photo Festival for over 13 years has meant overseeing significant growth and stability during a prolonged period of adversity - namely the economic downturn and pandemic crisis. Michael has excelled in creating and maintaining a national and international profile through strong artist, partner and funder relationships, brand and audience awareness, alongside active financial management, proactively seeking and diversifying income streams.

Toby Smith - Belfast Photo Festival

  • Director of Development & Fundraising

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    Toby has over 15 years experience in the photography sector with a specific emphasis on positive social and environmental impact especially innovation in public engagement around environment, equity and participation in lens based photography.

    Toby graduated from the Ma Photography course at London College of Communication before embarking on a successful international photojournalism career with representation by Getty Images and clients including National Geographic, the Guardian and the BBC. His work has been exhibited internationally at the V&A, Natural History Museum Vienna, Somerset House with collaborative projects funded by numerous NGO’s and philanthropic funders.

    Before joining the Belfast Photo Festival, Toby led the Climate Visuals project in establishing a global image library, measurable impact, policy and exhibition initiatives. The project developed into an internationally recognized and trusted brand through development and delivery of major international partnerships with delivery supported by philanthropic fund-raising and consultancies. Toby has been both lead author and commissioner of research to highlight and positively influence the lack of diversity in photography and improve engagement with Indigenous Communities.

Calvin Ballard - Belfast Photo Festival

  • Design and Digital Marketing Manager

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    Calvin joined Belfast Photo Festival after graduating from Ulster University with a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration, a conversion from his original degree course in Photography. Calvin has a natural eye, appreciation and understanding of the city of Belfast including the broad demographics, trends and interests of its local audiences.

    Calvin has helped develop the clean, professional and accessible look and voice of the Festival, building on the leadership and strategy with the audience and marketing plans to ensure it is appealing to its target audience at home and internationally. Calvin exemplifies the employment opportunities in the creative industries beyond content generation.

Board Members

Gareth Neill Belfast

  • Chair Person

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    Previous to his current role as Director of Portview Trade Centre, Gareth was Business Improvement District Manager for Destination CQ, which oversees the Belfast Cathedral Quarter, one of the city's most vibrant inner city neighbourhoods. He has been lead on strategic development, marketing and communications, capital project management, event development and management, and business planning across a number of creative industry projects. He is a self-motivated team player with a successful track record of creative application, project management, business improvements, best practice and good governance. A dynamic communicator, Gareth quickly establishes an effective network of business relationships with stakeholders at a local and international level.

Lesley-Ann O'Donnell Belfast

  • Vice Chair Person

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    Currently Senior Manager, Culture, Tourism & Events at Belfast City Council, Lesley-Ann was previously Associate Director of Urban Scale Interventions, and has served as a board member at the Cathedral Quarter Trust for five years. Her wealth of experience particularly comes from spending eight years at Tourism Northern Ireland as Events Manager and Head of Programmes. In addition to her expertise/experience surrounding major events, and tourism, she brings specialisms to the board in communications, advertising and PR, holding both a degree and masters in the subject.

Ian Linday Belfast

  • Treasurer

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    Ian brings his expertise in accountancy from his background as a Chartered Accountant. Ian also sits on the board of the Royal Ulster Academy and the Crescent Arts Centre. He has excellent knowledge of employment law having sat on Industrial Tribunal for 12 years and also brings impeccable general and business knowledge to the team.

  • Alf currently works as a freelance consultant helping organisations develop and implement business development, organisational, fundraising, CPD, education, cultural and public affairs strategies. Alf previously worked as Country Director for the British Council and served as the UK’s lead for cultural relations between the UK and Ireland. The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Sarah Allen Photography

  • Until recently, Sarah was a curator at Tate Modern and has recently joined the South London Gallery as Head of Programmes. Sarah has worked on a number of major shows, the most recent being Shape of Light, the first blockbuster exhibition to explore the relationship between photography and abstract art. Before moving to Tate Modern, Allen worked at a string of leading galleries, including The Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, The Guggenheim Museum in New York, and The Photographers’ Gallery, London. Among the high-profile photographers she’s worked with is Mark Ruwedel, who recently made it on to the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize 2019 shortlist with his show The Artist and Society, curated by Allen.

Hannah Crowdy Belfast

  • Hannah is the Head Of Curatorial for National Museums NI. In 2009 she relocated from Brighton to Belfast and eleven years later, she is very happy to call this place home. As a museum professional for eighteen years, Hannah has worked in museums of all shapes and sizes. At National Museums NI she has taken a leading role in such major projects as the Titanic exhibition at the Ulster Transport Museum and the recent Troubles and Beyond exhibition at the Ulster Museum.

Andrew Hassard Mango Bikes

  • As Managing Director of Mango Bikes. Andrew rescued the company administration and relaunched January 2018. Focussed on building a team, brand and audience that loves Mango Bikes and to make them famous globally.