Ray Duncan taught Art and Design at Park Parade Secondary School, Lurgan College and Castlereagh College for over forty years. He attended night classes at The Art College in Belfast studying under John Luke and attending classes by Terry Flanagan. He was part of a studio group in Belfast off May Street in the 1960's and has continued to play an active role in the Arts scene in Belfast since then. With a group of artists in the 80's, in a response to a lack of local venues he ran a series of 'House Shows' in different artists’ houses in Belfast. He was involved in the Ulster Arts Club running the gallery there for a number of years, helping to establish its Elmwood Gallery. He was one of the founders of Creative Exchange Studio group in East Belfast