Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director.

Members received a report of the Managing Director providing updates from the Barbican Directors on their respective areas. The following comments were made:

·         The Managing Director highlighted that the Barbican was having an unusually busy summer period with Lee Krasner: Living Colour, AI: More than Human and Jesus Christ Superstar all selling well. This wide summer offer represented a coherent programme that was responsive to audiences and dedicated to building the Barbican’s brand and partnerships.

·         It was noted that key partnerships with AI Business, Informa, KNect265 and WIRED, were leading to impressive springboard events. For example, a joint venture with WIRED led to a public event WIRED Pulse: AI at the Barbican was a huge achievement and success.

·         The Estate 50 event on Saturday 8 June celebrating the 50^th anniversary Barbican Estate sold out and received a great response. This included a number of presentations and was followed by a Corporation reception at the Centre.

·         It was noted that the launch of Spektrix had been delayed and a report would come to Members in September regarding the delays.

·         The flagship schools programme, Barbican Box, has continued to support thousands of primary and secondary school pupils to turn their creative ideas into reality. This has included an international pilot of Barbican Box in South Korea.

·         The Young Entrepreneurs Lab programme, a collaboration with the Guildhall School’s Creative Entrepreneurs programme, which supported four young entrepreneurs to pitch for a £2k prize at the Guildhall School’s Creative Entrepreneurs Awards Ceremony on 25 June. This was won by an enterprise led by a past Young Visual Arts Group member.

·         BIE have just signed a three-year £1m deal with current partners in China to stage four exhibitions. The development of a new exhibition, Virtual Realms (working title), will launch at Singapore Art Science Centre in June 2020.

·         It was noted that there were a significant number of ongoing activities as part of the Beyond Barbican programme including Play the Mile and the Walthamstow Garden party that were hugely successful.

·         Members commended the Creative Learning team on the remarkable amount of work they were achieving to support young people and people with disabilities.  

·         The Chairman was encouraged by the constantly changing programme of things happening at the Barbican.

·         The Chairman thanked Wendy Mead for chairing the Estate 50 event and noted the positive relationship developing with Barbican residents.

RECEIVED.