Arts sector recognised in New Year Honours

The Director of Tate Modern Frances Morris and the Director of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art Sarah Munro are among dozens of people in the sector recognised in the New Year Honours.

Morris who receives a CBE, and Munro, who has been awarded an MBE, are among around 60 figures within the arts and culture sector to be honoured – significantly fewer than in previous years.

Other noteable recipients include Grayson Perry, who alongside fellow artist John Akomfrah and Chief Executive of the British Library, Roly Keating, receives a knighthood.

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Morris, who joined Tate Modern when it first opened as Head of Displays and then Director of International Collections, before taking over as Director in 2016, is due to step down in April.

Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, and Roland Rudd, Chair of Tate, said Morris has "radically transformed the way the story of modern art is presented".

"She has ensured a more balanced representation of women artists at Tate, and importantly extended the repertoire of contemporary art by making space for performance and live art.

"She is revered by her peers across the globe as a director who understands that art, scholarship and public enjoyment can go hand-in-hand.”

'Incredible accolade'

Munro, who has been Director of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead since November 2015, receives an MBE for services to art.

“I am honoured and humbled to receive this recognition, and I’m really proud to accept it on behalf of my whole team at Baltic," she said.

"This is an incredible accolade for all the work we have done over the last year in ensuring we have responded to the needs of our audiences and artists.”

Meanwhile, Karen Watson and Jon Wakeman, Founding Directors of East Street Arts, a Leeds-based charity that has been supporting artists and the wider community since 1993, also receive MBEs for services to arts.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this award," Watson said.

"This is an acknowledgment of the role that East Street Arts has played in supporting artists and the communities in which they live and work. Our staff, volunteers, artists and neighbours have been fundamental in this achievement, and it’s testament to their proactivity and commitment.”

And Arts Council England (ACE) Deputy Chief Executive Simon Mellor has recieved an OBE, six months after ACE Chief Executive Darren Henley received a CBE in the late Queen's Birthday Honours.

Government advisers have also been recognised. Lord Neil Mendoza, who was appointed by government in May 2020 as Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal to advise on the sector's recovery from the covid pandemic, receives a CBE for services to art and culture. Claire Whitaker, who alongside Mendoza is a member of the government's Culture Recovery Board, also receives a CBE.

Philip Batty, Director of Ceremonies for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and also the Executive Director of UNBOXED, recieves an OBE for services to sport and culture.

Theatre

Figures from across theatre have also been recognised. Sonia Friedman, Theatre Producer and Founder of Sonia Friedman Productions, whose West End productions include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Book of Mormon and To Kill a Mockingbird, has been made a CBE for services to theatre.

Julian Bird, former Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre receives an OBE for services to theatre.

And Julia Skelton, Executive Director of Bradford-based learning disability theatre company Mind the Gap, receives an MBE for services to theatre and the local community.

"Firstly, and most importantly, this is truly a team award," Skelton said.

"Some people get nominated for an MBE for their individual endeavours. Not me though – without question this recognition is for Mind the Gap and everyone – past, present and future – who’s contributed to the company’s success.

"In particular, the fantastic learning disabled and autistic artists who underpin everything we do and what we are about. And for those who collaborate artistically and more broadly so the company can create and tour work, and support skills development."

Laura Harling, Founder and Artistic Director of The Dot Collective, a charity that performs professional theatre for people in care, receives a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Music

Within the music sector, Linda Merrick, Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music has been awarded a CBE for services to music in higher education. Louise Mitchell, Chief Executive of Bristol Music Trust also receives a CBE.

Keranjeet Virdee, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, South Asian Arts UK, receives an MBE for services to the arts, particularly South Asian music and dance, and Patricia Vella-Burrows, Co-Director at Music4Wellbeing receives a BEM.

Meanwhile, Geoff Taylor, who stepped down last week after 15 years as Chief Executive of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and as Chief Executive of The BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize to pursue new career challenges, has been awarded an MBE for services to music.

YolanDa Brown, who was appointed Chair of the BPI in July last year, has been awarded an OBE.

"We couldn’t be more thrilled that both Geoff and YolanDa have had their enormous contributions to music recognised with these wonderful honours," BPI Chief Operating Officer MJ Olaore said.

"Anyone that has known Geoff or worked with him these past 15 years cannot fail to have been impressed by his total commitment to the BPI’s members and more widely to promoting British recorded music and the artists it supports at home and around the world.

"We have only recently begun our relationship with YolanDa, but already we can see how her talent and energy simply shines through and that she is driven by an incredible passion to draw on the power of music to bring about meaningful change, not least to improve access to music education for children."

See below for a list of award winners cited for their service in the arts. The full list of 2022 honours can be found here.

Knighthood
John Akomfrah, Artist
Roly Keating, Chief Executive, The British Library
Brian May, Musician, Astrophysicist and Animal Welfare Advocate
Grayson Perry, Artist, Writer and Broadcaster
Luke Rittner, Chief Executive, Royal Academy of Dance

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Sonia Friedman, Theatre Producer and founder, Sonia Friedman Productions
George Fenton, Composer
Peter Kyle, former Chair, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Lord Neil Mendoza, Commissioner for Culture
Linda Merrick, Principal, Royal Northern College of Music
Louise Mitchell, Chief Executive, Bristol Music Trust
Frances Morris, Director, Tate Modern
Eve Salomon, Chair, Horniman Museum and Gardens
Claire Whitaker, Member of Culture Recovery Board

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Philip Batty, Director of Ceremonies, 2022 Commonwealth Games
Julian Bird, former Chief Executive, Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre
YolanDa Brown, saxophonist
Lady Sarah Dorfman, Philanthropist
Dr Jennifer Elliot, for services to the Arts in Northern Ireland
Timothy Eyles, Chair, Royal Society of Arts
Stephen Graham, Actor
David Harewood, Actor and Broadcaster
Peter Leathem, Chief Executive Officer, Phonographic Performance Limited
Michael Lloyd, Chief Executive, Stoke-on-Trent Classics
Simon Mellor, Deputy Chief Executive, Arts Council England

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
George Bell, for services to the Music Industry in Northern Ireland
Janet Bogle, Actor and Singer
Andrew Crummy, Designer and Artist
Rachel De-Lahay, Playwright and Screenwriter
Ariut Eminue, Founder and Director, DiVA Apprenticeships
Dr Mary Evelyn, Director of Postgraduate Programmes, London Contemporary Dance School
John Gill, for services to the Arts, to Culture and to Education
Edward Lynch, Co-Founder, RJC Dance
Sarah Munro, Director, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
Cleo Sylvestre, Actor
James Pharoah, Founder and Director, Bedford Fringe Festival
Christine Rice, Opera Singer
Francesca Simon, Writer
Julia Skelton, Executive Director, Mind the Gap
Geoffrey Taylor, Chief Executive, BPI and the Brit Awards
Keranjeet Virdee, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, South Asian Arts UK
Karen Watson, Founder and Artistic Director, East Street Arts
Kathleen Williams, Co-Founder and Director, RJC Dance

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Joe Broughton, Director, The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble. For services to Music
Laura Harling, Founder and Artistic Director, The Dot Collective
Ann Pinhey, Music Teacher and Conductor
Christopher Storey, Organiser and Teacher, Pan Nation
Dr Patricia Vella-Burrows, Co-Director and Director of Training, Music4Wellbeing
Reverend Jason Young, Writer and Director

For any omissions please contact [email protected].