David Burton "Dai" Smith FLSW (born 1945) is a Welsh academic, cultural historian, author, and former

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

programme editor and broadcaster. He was chair of the Arts Council of Wales between 2007 and 2016. Smith was born in the Rhondda. He was educated at Porth County and Barry Grammar School, before studying history and literature at

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

, and later undertook further studies at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, New York, and the University of Wales, Swansea. Between 1969 and 1993, he was a lecturer in history in the universities of Lancaster, Swansea, and

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

. "Professor Dai Smith reappointed as Arts Council of Wales Chair", ''Aberdare Online'', 18 August 2009
. Retrieved 28 July 2016 He was appointed as Professor in the History of Wales at the

University of Wales The University of Wales () is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff – the university was the first universit ...

in Cardiff in 1985, holding the post until 1992. He has also held visiting lectureships at universities in Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland and Spain. In 1993, he joined the BBC as editor of Radio Wales, and in 1994 was appointed as Head of Broadcast (English Language). He was responsible for commissioning programmes on the arts and in drama, and has also presented award-winning documentaries on the people and culture of

south Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

. In 2000, Smith was appointed pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Glamorgan, where he was responsible for developing the university's contributions to the community. He left the post in 2005 to become the Raymond Williams Chair in the Cultural History of Wales at Swansea University.Professor Dai Smith, ''Swansea University''
. Retrieved 28 July 2016 In 2007, he was appointed Chair of the Arts Council of Wales, a post to which he was reappointed twice and held until 2016."Professor Dai Smith", ''University of South Wales: Honorary Awards 2009''
. Retrieved 28 July 2016 His publications have included ''The Fed'' (1980), a history of

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

miners written with Hywel Francis; ''Fields of Praise'' (1986), a history of

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

in Wales co-authored with Gareth Williams; ''Wales: A Question for History'' (1988); ''

Aneurin Bevan Aneurin "Nye" Bevan Privy Council (United Kingdom), PC (; 15 November 1897 – 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician, noted for spearheading the creation of the British National Health Service during his t ...

and the World of South Wales'' (1993); the authorised biography ''

Raymond Williams Raymond Henry Williams (31 August 1921 – 26 January 1988) was a Welsh socialist writer, academic, novelist and critic influential within the New Left and in wider culture. His writings on politics, culture, the media and literature contribu ...

: A Warrior’s Tale'' (2008); and ''In the Frame: Memory in Society 1910-2010'' (2010). He has also edited the Welsh Assembly Government’s Library of Wales for classic works written in English from or about Wales. His son is

Owen Smith Owen Smith (born 2 May 1970) is a British lobbyist and former Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician. Smith was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency), Pontypridd from 2 ...

, MP. In 2011, Smith was elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales. Smith was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to culture and the arts in Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Dai, (academic) 1945 births Living people People from Rhondda Academics of Swansea University Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford People educated at Barry Comprehensive School Columbia University alumni Commanders of the Order of the British Empire 20th-century Welsh historians Historians of Wales Date of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Welsh historians Fellows of the Learned Society of Wales