Barbican appoints Simpson and Vigushin as new directors in key roles

Monday, January 22, 2024

The Barbican proudly welcomes Philippa Simpson and Beau Vigushin as new directors, marking a pivotal step in its transformative journey.

The Barbican is thrilled to reveal that Philippa Simpson will assume the role of Director for Buildings and Renewal, while Beau Vigushin will step into the position of Director for Audiences. Their appointments will commence in the upcoming spring season.

These significant roles were filled following a comprehensive global search initiated in the fall of 2023, aimed at discovering distinguished candidates to enhance the Barbican’s existing team. These candidates were sought for their expertise and forward-thinking approach to propel the Barbican into a new era. This move is a key part of the Barbican’s continuous evolution, which involves modernizing its facilities to better accommodate its dynamic array of events. These events draw in vast audiences annually, fostering engagement, stimulating discussions, and mirroring the society we live in.

Philippa Simpson, in her new capacity, will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including managing the operations and infrastructure of both the Barbican and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (GSMD). Additionally, she will spearhead the ambitious Barbican Renewal Programme, a transformative project aimed at redefining the concept of an arts, conference, and culture center. This programme intends to preserve the Barbican’s cherished aspects while revitalizing underutilized areas for creative and commercial purposes, all without expanding the building’s footprint.

Prior to joining the Barbican, Philippa held a position at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), where she was a key member of the Executive Board as the Director of Design, Estate, and Public Programme. Her career began at Tate as a curator, followed by a stint at Royal Museums Greenwich, where she managed an international exhibition program. Over the last decade, Philippa has been instrumental in executing groundbreaking projects such as the Exhibition Road Quarter, the new Photography Centre, and most recently, Young V&A in Bethnal Green.

On joining the Barbican, Philippa Simpson, said: ‘I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the Barbican at this pivotal moment. 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. The original vision of the Barbican Centre as a place of cultural and social exchange remains an inspiration, and the Renewal programme promises to build on this, as a catalyst for genuine change both in the City of London and beyond.’ 

Beau Vigushin, taking on the role of Director for Audiences, will focus on enhancing the overall visitor experience at the Barbican. He will work on strengthening ties with existing patrons and developing new strategies to attract diverse audiences. Emphasizing the use of technology, Beau aims to make the Barbican’s varied offerings more accessible and enjoyable for visitors.

Beau’s career in audience engagement spans over two decades, beginning as an usher at the Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia’s largest performing arts center. He eventually ascended to the role of Executive Director of Customer Experience in 2018. His tenure there was marked by his dedication to customer engagement, innovation, growth, service, communication, and significant involvement in pandemic response and building redevelopment.

Previously active as a Board Member with Arts Access Victoria, Beau was also recently involved with Tessitura, a global arts and cultural technology organization. Before accepting this new position in London, he contributed to the transformation of the Arts & Culture Trust in Perth.

Of his new role at the Barbican, Beau Vigushin, said: ‘The Barbican has been connecting people with arts and culture for over 40 years. 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. 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.’

Claire Spencer, Barbican CEO, said: ‘We’re thrilled Beau and Philippa are joining the Barbican Team. This is such an exciting time to join the Barbican as we deliver on ambitious plans to improve and transform our building, strengthen our relationships with audiences and visitors to ensure the Barbican becomes a place where everyone belongs, and evolve our culture to one which is truly equitable and inclusive. 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. Throughout the recruitment process, both Beau and Philippa demonstrated their passion and clear vision for the Barbican’s future. I look forward to welcoming them to the brilliant Barbican team. I extend my thanks to the many members of the team involved in these recruitments, the Barbican Centre Board, our colleagues at the City of London Corporation, and Gatenby Sanderson and McLean for their assistance throughout.”

These appointments follow Jackie Boughton’s entry as Director of Commercial in November 2023. The search for a new Director for Arts and Participation, who will lead the Barbican’s innovative arts and learning program, is still in progress.

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