Devyani Saltzman is leaving the Barbican in London, marking another major leadership shake-up just weeks after the center welcomed its new CEO. Saltzman, who became director of arts and participation in February 2024, had only recently unveiled a five-year creative vision for the venue, making her sudden departure all the more surprising.
Recently recognized as one of the 40 most influential women in the UK arts scene, Saltzman was described as the “driving force” behind the Barbican. Her work included shaping the artistic programme and leading community engagement, and over the past 18 months she had become the public face of the institution, sharing her vision widely in interviews.
The Barbican has so far declined to comment on the exit, and it’s still unclear exactly when Saltzman will step down, or whether she will be replaced. Her departure leaves a significant gap at the top, at a moment when the centre is navigating one of its biggest transitions yet.
Saltzman has been outspoken about the need for cultural institutions in London to reflect the diversity of the city. In 2024, she said: “We are actually in a new wave of next-generation leadership that hopefully is going to shift the model.”
The Barbican has seen several leadership changes in recent years. In 2021, long-time managing director Nicholas Kenyon stepped down amid staff complaints of institutional racism. Will Gompertz, his successor, left after just two years. Saltzman was part of a new leadership structure introduced after the managing director role was replaced with a team of senior leaders, all reporting to the new chief executive, Abigail Pogson, who joined last month.
Saltzman joined the Barbican during a difficult moment, following the centre’s controversial decision to cancel a talk by Pankaj Mishra about the Holocaust and alleged human rights abuses in Gaza, which led some artists to withdraw their work. One of her first acts was to meet with Mishra, and she quickly became seen as someone who helped restore trust between the organisation and parts of the artistic community.
Pogson now oversees the Barbican’s first major renewal in its history, a 12-month closure of theaters, music venues, and galleries starting in June 2028. The project’s first phase is expected to cost £231 million, with the full scheme estimated at £451 million.
Since opening in 1982, the Barbican has grown from a cultural hub primarily for the 4,000 residents of the surrounding flats to one of the UK’s most visited arts centers, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors annually.
