Richard Demarco

Artist, broadcaster, and teacher, born in Edinburgh, EC Scotland, UK. He studied at the College of Art (1949–53), and became a leading promoter of modern art in Scotland, especially at the Edinburgh Festival since 1967, and has presented annual programmes of theatre, music, and dance. He was co-founder of the Traverse Theatre Club, and director (1966–92) of the Richard Demarco Gallery.

Richard Demarco (born Portobello near Edinburgh, 1930) is a Scottish artist and promoter of the visual and performing arts.

He was co-founder of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in 1963.

For many years, the Gallery promoted cross-cultural links, both in terms of presenting artists such as Marina Abramovic within Scotland and in establishing outgoing connections for Scottish artists across Europe.

His involvement with Joseph Beuys led to various presentations, from Strategy Get Arts in 1970 to Beuys' hunger strike during the Jimmy Boyle Days in 1980.

Also particularly notable were the presentations by Tadeusz Kantor's Cricot 2 group during the 1970s and 1980s. An unofficial performance of The Water Hen at the former Edinburgh poorhouse during the Edinburgh Festival in 1972 was a notable success.

For many years the Gallery led a financially-straitened existence.

Richard Demarco has attended every Edinburgh Festival.