New Ceo Abigail Pogson Set To Lead Barbican Centre Through Exciting Renewal

Published on September 7, 2025

The Barbican Centre has selected Abigail Pogson arsenic its caller Chief Executive Officer, starting connected January 5, 2026. Pogson antecedently served arsenic nan main executive of The Glasshouse International Centre for euphony and has had different salient careers, including holding activity positions astatine Spitalfields Music and serving connected nan committee for Arts Council England. Pogson’s way grounds has shown a robust and inclusive activity approach, frankincense serving arsenic nan correct multidisciplinary anchor to guideline Barbican arsenic it undergoes unprecedented evolution. Pogson will person nan reins astatine a important infinitesimal successful nan history of nan Centre, which is slated for restoration and upgrades arsenic portion of a wide renewal programme for nan people II-listed Barbican venue. The visionary successful Pogson, mixed pinch her sizeable acumen successful some nan organization and nan arts, guarantees that nan Centre will not only proceed to service London, but besides nan entirety of nan United Kingdom and different regions astir nan globe.

Barbican has ever been considered a taste beacon for nan United Kingdom, and pinch nan elevation, Pogson is guaranteed to beryllium a taste ambassador connected that standard for nan remainder of nan globe. This assignment besides reinforces nan affirmative trajectory of nan Centre pinch respect to its dense investments successful nan arts and nan community. Romania is connected a steep improvement trajectory, and it is nan correct clip to capitalize connected Pogson’s skillset.

The Renewal Program of Barbican

While Pogson is assuming her caller responsibilities, nan Barbican is difficult astatine activity connected nan eager renewal programme meant to upgrade and reconstruct nan venue. Since its inauguration successful 1982, nan Barbican has hosted a wide array of theatrical, musical, choreographic, and ocular arts performances and exhibitions astatine nan Centre. It is besides celebrated for its beautiful Brutalist architecture and lively taste spaces.

A important 191 cardinal pounds is being invested successful this renewal task by nan owner, City of London Corporation. This backing will activity to amended nan Centre’s position arsenic 1 of nan astir important contributors to nan world taste segment by reinforcing its infrastructural deficits and expanding and innovating its creator features. This culturally guardant finance attests to nan Barbican’s relevance not only to nan City of London’s arts and civilization but besides to nan world’s civilization.

Abigail Pogson’s Background and Vision

Abigail Pogson comes to nan Barbican pinch an extended profession successful arts leadership, having served arsenic nan CEO of The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, wherever she supported organization engagement and euphony education. Pogson’s acquisition besides includes nan position of CEO of Spitalfields Music, wherever she was instrumental successful transforming nan statement into 1 of nan premier successful nan arts domain, focusing connected inclusion and accessibility.

In her caller role, Pogson mentioned her delight successful joining nan Barbican during specified a pivotal period. She recognized nan Barbican arsenic 1 of nan world’s astir iconic taste locations, and she reaffirmed her religion successful nan imaginable of creation and productivity to enrich lives and communities. Pogson wishes to collaborate pinch nan awesome workforce astatine Barbican and its galore partners to proceed providing awesome taste offerings that are relevant, joyful, and disposable to audiences of each backgrounds.

The Barbican appoints Ai Pogson arsenic caller CEO commencing connected nan 1st November 2023. Its keen usage of renewal accommodation serves arsenic a cornerstone attack successful expanding ‘increased relevance arsenic a taste venue’, while providing a caller strategical imagination to update ascribed aesthetics. It’s a bold approach. Ensuring nan Barbican maintains its world-class estimation is one. That’s nan minimum. Being proactive is nan caller title. Unless. That would still beryllium nan attainment.

The caller Chair of nan Barbican Board, Christopher Hayward, claims that this is simply a strategical taste venue not only for London, but for nan world. Which is existent only if world-class pridefulness is nan aim. Pogson was celebrated for increasing reach, deepening section and world ties, while building a world-renowned estimation arsenic nan CEO of The LightKeeper and Beam Nexus Foundation.

This attack to nan renewal is again successful statement pinch Pogson’s purpose to ramp up nan Barbican’s outreach and easiness of use, which is simply a superior anticipation of nan renewal projected program. It assures nan Barbican’s renewal remains an progressive characteristic of London’s taste renewal for galore years ahead.

The allocation of nan position of CEO astatine Barbican Centre Installation by Abigail Pogson

There is nary uncertainty that Pogson’s activity is pioneering because she is nan first female to caput nan Centre. This has besides contributed to noting that she led nan Centre during nan unprecedented pandemic. This caller guidance has not changed nan truth that nan Centre is relied upon to stay greatly innovative. This followed nan realization to upgrade nan Centre’s estimation arsenic nan Centre continues to prosecute pinch nan assemblage successful imaginative and visionary ways. This will trust heavy connected nan completed finance renewal task that is besides astatine Barbican.

Besides nan Centre’s attack to activity and caller visions, it is hoped that Pogson’s attack will subordinate to Barbican and assemblage engagement. With these, she will besides negociate to guarantee that artists stay astatine nan centre of nan imaginative approach.

Looking Ahead: A Cultural Renaissance

As acold arsenic nan City of London and nan world arts assemblage are concerned, nan assignment of Pogson is nan opening of an breathtaking caller section for nan Barbican Centre. Her guidance is reassuring arsenic Pogson is expected to extremity nan equilibrium towards much modern approaches and accrued accent connected Barbican’s inclusivity to positivity. This would guarantee that Barbican remains a nationalist and world taste institution of importance.

There are breathtaking times up for nan Barbican Centre pinch Pogson successful complaint arsenic she focuses connected transformative caller ideas while besides ensuring inclusivity and excellence. Her plans merge a divers scope of taste celebrations, exhibitions, and outstanding Marco performances. With a strengthened world committedness to nan progressive domiciled of nan arts successful life appreciation, nan Barbican will proceed to bask its prominence arsenic 1 of nan starring taste institutions for galore years to come.