Barbican Arts Chief Devyani Saltzman to Leave Weeks After Renewal Plans Made Public

Devyani Saltzman, the Barbican Centre’s director for arts and participation, is leaving the London institution following the appointment of a new chief executive.

Saltzman is set to depart after less than two years in the post, and shortly after the Barbican announced plans for a new, cross-disciplinary creative vision, which she was due to be central in executing.

The Barbican declined to confirm details when asked, with a spokesperson stating that the organisation does not comment on individual staffing matters. The centre has not publicly confirmed her leaving date. One trade publication reported that the role is being made redundant; the institution declined to comment on that claim.

Saltzman was appointed after an exhaustive international recruitment campaign launched in autumn 2023. She took up the role in early July 2024. Saltzman’s previous roles included the director of public programming at the Art Gallery of Ontario, director of literary arts at the Banff Centre and a founding curator at the Luminato festival in Toronto. She has also held governance roles with the Writers’ Trust of Canada and Toronto Arts Council.

At the Barbican, Saltzman oversaw cross-art form programming and public engagement activity as part of a revised management structure that replaced the single managing director model with several senior directors reporting to the chief executive.

Her departure follows the arrival of Abigail Pogson as chief executive. Pogson previously led the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead. Pogson is now overseeing a long-term renewal programme at the Barbican that includes a planned 12-month closure of the theatre, music hall and galleries from June 2028. According to previously published project figures, the first phase is budgeted at £231m, with total costs estimated at £451m.

During her tenure, Saltzman led development of a five-year artistic framework running to 2030 based on themed seasons spanning multiple disciplines. The Barbican recently presented its autumn 2025 programme under this model, including exhibitions, performances and talks addressing environmental and social themes, alongside renewed fashion and design programming.

In published media interviews during her tenure, Saltzman discussed at length the need for leadership representation in cultural organisations, as well as her plans to expand international collaboration and participation-focused work at the London institution.

The Barbican has experienced several senior leadership changes in recent years. Nicholas Kenyon resigned as managing director in 2021 after 14 years in the role, following staff complaints reported in the press about institutional culture. He was succeeded by Will Gompertz, who later left to lead Sir John Soane’s Museum after around two years. Commentators described Gompertz as the centre’s artistic lead; Saltzman subsequently held the most senior role covering artistic programming.

Her arrival in 2024 coincided with controversy over the Barbican’s cancellation of a scheduled talk by the writer Pankaj Mishra concerning the Holocaust and Gaza. Several artists later withdrew from a related exhibition. According to earlier press reports, Saltzman met Mishra as part of discussions with artists and contributors.

Other recent executive changes include the promotion of Beau Vigushin from director of audiences to chief experience officer, one of two deputy roles reporting to the chief executive, according to a LinkedIn statement.

Opened in 1982, the Barbican Centre was originally designed to serve residents of the surrounding estate and now operates as a multi-arts venue. Published figures put annual attendance at more than 1.5 million visitors.