Dame Seona Reid DME has been appointed the new Chair of British Council Scotland’s Advisory Committee, as from 1 May. She will succeed Willy Roe CBE, who has chaired the Committee since 2015.
As Chair, Ms Reid will act as an ambassador for the British Council in Scotland. She will Chair the important work of the Committee in informing and championing our work in Scotland so that it continues to add real value across the areas of education, culture, society and to the country’s success more broadly. The role is unremunerated.
Ms Reid is currently Chair of the National Theatre of Scotland, a Board member of the Edinburgh International Cultural Summit, a Board member of Tate Gallery and Chair of Tate Britain Advisory Council. Until recently she was Chair of Cove Park, an artist residency centre in Argyll Deputy Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chair of the Scotland Committee and Scotland’s Commissioner on the UK–US Fulbright Commission. She served as Director of the Glasgow School of Art between 1999 and 2013 and Director of the Scottish Arts Council between 1990 and 1999. This followed a career in performing arts, arts funding and disability arts. Over her career, Seona has served on a wide range of other committees and Boards in the arts and the education sectors including the Advisory Group to the UK Government on UK City of Culture 2017, the Cultural Cities Enquiry, Scottish Broadcasting Commission, and the Executive Committee of Universities Scotland. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, she was awarded a DBE IN 2014 for services to the creative industries.
Seona Reid said: “It will be a great pleasure and privilege to be part of the British Council, helping to shape and promote its crucial international work across education, culture and civil society in Scotland. I look forward particularly to serving alongside such a distinguished group of Committee members and Council staff”.
Welcoming her appointment, Jackie Killeen, Director Scotland, British Council said: “I am delighted that Dame Seona Reid DME will take up the position as the next Chair of British Council Scotland’s Advisory Committee. Seona’s long and hugely successful career in the cultural and education sectors make her an ideal Chair of the Committee. Her knowledge, experience and leadership will enrich our work in and on behalf of Scotland.”