The Barbican Centre recently announced its Director for Arts, Devyani Saltzman, is to leave the organisation in May
Author Salman Rushdie is among the signatories of a letter to the Barbican Centre expressing “profound disappointment and alarm” over the forthcoming departure of its Director for Arts, Devyani Saltzman.
The open letter, which is authored by “a group of global majority creative and cultural leaders and allies”, states Ms Saltzman was appointed “with great fanfare” just two years ago, and that the decision to cut her role “raises serious questions about the institution’s commitment to sustaining global majority leadership at the highest levels”.
Several requests are made of the Barbican Board and City of London Corporation, its founder and principal funder, including that it explain the process behind the removal of Ms Saltzman and that an independent review be carried out into the careers of “global majority leaders” at the Centre.
A spokesperson for the Barbican said they cannot comment further on a confidential matter concerning a member of staff.
They did however add that the Director for Arts position no longer exists due to organisational change.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has spoken with one of those who signed the letter to confirm its legitimacy.
The Barbican announced earlier this week that Ms Saltzman, who previously held senior positions at several major Canadian arts institutions, is to leave her role in May having only joined in February 2024.
The revelation came just months after Ms Saltzman unveiled a new creative vision for the venue, and weeks after a new Chief Executive, Abigail Pogson, came onboard.
The open letter raises concerns about the transparency of the decision to remove Ms Saltzman’s post.
It reads: “This is a major public cultural institution, funded and held in trust for the people of this city and country. A decision affecting its most senior artistic role, and one of the very few leaders of South Asian and racially diverse heritage in its history, has sector‑wide and community‑wide implications. To characterise such a decision as an internal matter only is inadequate and dismissive.”
The letter references reports in 2021 alleging the Barbican was “institutionally racist”, following which the venue committed to launching a review and pursuing a programme to achieve “necessary change”.
“The apparent removal of a South Asian woman cultural leader from a key artistic leadership role, so soon after her appointment, sits uneasily with these commitments,” the letter continues.
“It sends a troubling message to racially minoritised artists, producers and audiences who saw her appointment as a rare and hopeful sign that leadership might finally begin to reflect the city the Barbican serves.
“The impact will be felt not only by Ms Saltzman, but by the many communities who looked to her as a symbol of possibility within an institution with a long, difficult history on race.”
Five requests are made of the Barbican and the City of London, including that up-to-date data on the diversity of the venue’s senior leadership and governance be published, and that future senior leadership recruitment “be designed and delivered in genuine partnership with racially minoritised artists, practitioners and communities”.
As well as Mr Rushdie the signatories include an international collection of artists, writers and directors, such as the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award winner Nitin Sawhney and Grammy-nominated composer Anoushka Shankar.
The Barbican has undergone a series of changes to its senior leadership in recent years.
Sir Nicholas Kenyon resigned as Managing Director in 2021 in the wake of staff telling the Guardian of alleged issues of racism at the Centre.
Former BBC arts correspondent Will Gompertz followed as Artistic Director, though left after two years to join Sir John Soane’s Museum.
Claire Spencer, who joined as Chief Executive in 2022, also departed after a two-year stint. She received the Freedom of the City of London last year in recognition of her work.
The Barbican Centre is due to undergo the first phase of a major redevelopment of the site with construction hoped to begin next year.
The Corporation has committed to £191 million for repairs and upgrades, with the Centre due to fundraise an additional £40m. It is to shut for 12 months from June 2028 as part of the overhaul.
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