Headless Britain: London’s South Bank sidelines an arts chief

The capital’s main arts centre has transitioned its Director, Music and Performing Arts Gillian Moore to a nebulous role of Artistic Associate, effective immediately.

Moore has worked for the Suth Bank since 1993 and has been the main liaison point for its declining classical content.

Today’s press release says that she will, in future ‘will report to Mark Ball, Artistic Director, and among her responsibilities she will develop new, large scale projects and collaborative initiatives that support music and creative engagement at the Southbank Centre, as well as create new music-focused digital content for the Southbank Centre’s digital channels.’

Less is Moore. Or less.

She said: ‘The Southbank Centre is, for me, the greatest arts venue anywhere, with its location by the river, its open and optimistic architecture, its heritage of welcome and inclusion and its brilliant and diverse community of artists and audiences. I’m so very pleased to continue my association with this special place in a new, part-time role and to work with Mark Ball and the team as well as our community of musicians and artists to help shape ideas for the future.’

Ball said: ‘Over three decades at the Southbank Centre, Gillian Moore’s artistic leadership has made an immense contribution not just to the Southbank Centre, but to the wider cultural health of London and the UK. Gillian’s contribution to classical music in particular has seen new orchestras emerge and flourish, landmark festivals develop and grow and collaborative music projects that have pushed the art-form forward. Building on these achievements, I’m excited to be working closely with Gillian in her new role as Artistic Associate, and to develop together new ideas and projects that will continue to see the Southbank Centre at the centre of a thriving arts and music ecology.’

photo: Facebook