Albany CEO to step down after 22 years

GAVIN BARLOW will leave his role as CEO of the Albany in March 2025 after nearly 22 years with the Deptford-based arts centre.

Creative director of the National Portfolio Organisation VICKI DELA AMEDUME will be promoted to the role of creative director and joint CEO, effective from April 2025, with recruitment for a new executive director and joint CEO set to begin soon.

Barlow will continue to work with the board and new CEOs and lead the Albany’s new capital development project. He will also remain co-director of Future Arts Centres, a network of more than 160 UK-based arts centres.

Barlow said he was “proud” of the transformation of the organisation over his two decades in post and the impact it has had on people’s lives, adding, “It is the right time to pass on the baton and take up new opportunities”.

Chair of the Board, MICHELLE MATHERSON, said: “Gavin has been integral in making the Albany what it is today, a vibrant creative organisation, and I’m not sure how we can begin to thank him for all his passion, vision and dedication over the past 22 years.

“I’m looking forward to continuing working with Vicki as we move forward into a new chapter for the Albany, including making much-needed changes to our building, working closely with our community and creating a creative legacy for all.”

Dela Amedume added: “The Albany has played a key role in my growth as an artist from my teenage years. Under Gavin’s leadership, it has been an anchor in South East London’s cultural ecology.

“I’m pleased and excited to be able to work with the talented and committed team here to ensure the Albany remains a much loved and needed community resource, and an incubator for artists and new cultural experiences.”