Barbican appoints Directors

Barbican has announced PHILIPPA SIMPSON as Director for Buildings and Renewal and BEAU VIGUSHIN as Director for Audiences. 

Both will take up their new roles in the spring of this year.

Simpson joins from the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), where she currently sits on the Executive Board as Director of Design, Estate and Public Programme. 

She has delivered projects including the Exhibition Road Quarter, the new Photography Centre and most recently, Young V&A in Bethnal Green. 
 
At Barbican, Simpson will oversee the operations and facilities management of the Barbican and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (GSMD) alongside leading new plans for the Barbican Renewal Programme.

Vigushin brings experience in audience engagement as the former Executive Director of Customer Experience at Arts Centre Melbourne. 

He has sat on the Board of Arts Access Victoria and was a Board member of the arts and cultural technology organisation Tessitura. 

"I’m so excited to join the team that bring to life the magic and excitement of arts and culture to thousands of people every day," Vigushin said. 

"The Barbican’s values and commitment for everyone to feel welcome are a perfect match for me and I can’t wait to play a role in the next phase of this London icon."

"It’s an enormous privilege to work within such an iconic and ambitious site, to help restore and revitalise the area for the communities it serves," Simpson added. 

Barbican CEO CLAIRE SPENCER also commented: "Their outstanding experience to date will be instrumental in supporting us with these plans and on our mission of being a catalyst for creativity that sparks possibilities for artists, audiences, and communities."

Expansion of  Barbican's senior team follows the appointment of JACKIE BOUGHTON as Director of Commercial in November 2023.