Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Beth Bate as its new Director. She was previously Director of Great North Run Culture and will join the organisation in January. Her appointment follows the departure of Clive Gillman, who left to join Creative Scotland earlier this year.
Beth Bate has outstanding experience as a senior cultural leader, leading Great North Run Culture as Director for 11 years, and working with organisations, including The British Museum, and Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, as a consultant on curatorial and advocacy programmes.
As Director of Great North Run Culture since 2004, Beth developed the organisation to become one of North East England’s major commissioners of contemporary art, producing projects by artists including Mark Wallinger, Douglas Gordon, Fiona Banner and Cerith Wyn Evans, as well as developing new and emerging talent, reaching annual audiences of over 300,000. She executive produced the Great North Run Million Opening Ceremony, working with the team behind the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, which reached a live audience of over 15,000 people before being broadcast on the BBC to over 2 million viewers. Beth is on the Board for Culture Bridge North East and on the North East Case For Culture’s International Steering Group, was previously Chair of Wunderbar Festival and a selector for the Northern Art Prize.
Originally from Wales, Beth has a BA (Hons) in English with History of Art from Birmingham University and an MA in Museum Studies from Leicester University. She was an Arts Council England Fellow on the 2014/15 Clore Leadership Programme.
Robin Presswood, Chair of DCA, said: “I am delighted that Beth will be joining DCA to lead the organisation at an exciting stage in Dundee’s development. As Director of Great North Run Culture she developed the organisation’s artistic programme while growing audiences and creating key partnerships regionally and nationally, and the board and I are confident she will bring the same vision and leadership to DCA.”
Beth Bate said: “Having long admired the outstanding work of DCA, I am absolutely delighted to join as Director, particularly at such an important time of development in Dundee. The combination of DCA’s dynamic programme of exhibitions, films, printmaking and education work alongside its role as a social hub for Dundee, makes this an incredibly exciting opportunity. Culture has the power to change lives for the better and I’m particularly pleased to be invited to work in a city that puts culture at the heart of its economic regeneration and civic life. I’m really looking forward to working with the team at DCA and all of our partners to ensure DCA continues to play a central role in cultural Dundee, across Scotland and further afield.”
Leonie Bell, Director, Arts and Engagement, Creative Scotland, said: “Creative Scotland is delighted to welcome Beth Bate to her new role. She comes with a wealth of experience and an ambition for DCA to maintain its position as a world-class centre for the arts and culture. We look forward to continuing our work with DCA under her leadership, at this exciting time for the organisation and the city of Dundee.”
Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild said: “Dundee Contemporary Arts is the cornerstone of Dundee’s cultural scene. I am delighted to welcome Beth Bate to the city and to the role of Director. She has a long history of cultural leadership and I wish her every success.”