Dr. Laurie Dalton

Director/Curator Acadia University Art Gallery

Adjunct Professor, Department of History & Classics, Acadia University

Wolfville

Growing up, Laurie Dalton remembers how she would often beg her parents to let her take art classes, and would spend much of her free time in art museums. An early trip to Europe with visits to galleries in Paris, cemented her passion for the arts and the role that museums and art galleries have in engaging the public with the world around them.

She brings over 15 years of multi-faceted museum and gallery experience, which includes more than seven years in a senior management position as Director/Curator with a successful track record in curating, public programming, collections stewardship, and fiscal planning. This has been further supplemented by over 10 years of academic research and teaching in art history, museums and cultural studies.

Laurie Dalton graduated with a PhD in Canadian studies where she examined world’s fairs in the context of national narratives, visual branding, tourism, digital technologies, and audience engagement. A core interest for Laurie is the importance of cross-disciplinary initiatives and the central role that the arts can play in this process. She has led research teams and collaborated on projects that champion the transformative role of arts and the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue.

She is a passionate advocate for galleries and museums as key players that contribute to engaged publics. She is excited about the opportunity to work with the diverse council members on initiatives that champion the transformative role that the creative industries can have in the province of Nova Scotia.