Dawn Airey CBE appointed as Chair of Arts Council England

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Dawn Airey CBE as Chair of Arts Council England for a term of 4 years starting on 1 August 2026.

Dawn has over 30 years of experience in the media and creative industries, holding senior leadership positions across major broadcasters. Her executive career includes serving as Chief Executive of Channel 5, where she was the inaugural Director of Programmes, and Managing Director of Channels and Services at Sky. She has also held roles as Managing Director of Global Content at ITV and Senior Vice President at Yahoo! for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Dawn also served as the Chief Executive of Getty Images between 2015 and 2018.   

Dawn holds several high-profile non-executive positions. She is currently the Chair of the National Youth Theatre and the educational platform Digital Theatre+. She also chairs the Barclays FA Women's Super League and Women's Championship board, a position she has held since 2019. In 2023 Dawn was appointed Chancellor of Edge Hill University. In 2021 she joined the board of Channel 4, where she acted as Interim Chair from 2022 - 25, she is currently Deputy Chair of the Board. 

In the 2024 Birthday Honours, Dawn was awarded a CBE for services to theatre and to charity. She is a Vice President and Fellow of the Royal Television Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

I am thrilled to announce Dawn Airey as the incoming chair of Arts Council England. She will take the helm at this incredibly important time, as this Government seeks to unlock access to exceptional arts for everyone, everywhere. 

Dawn brings more than just a wide range of experience across broadcasting, theatre and the wider arts – she brings a passion for what the arts can do for this country and all the people in it. I have no doubt that she will insist on pressing ahead with long overdue action to put people back at the centre of their own national story.

I would also like to thank Sir Nicholas Serota for his tireless dedication to the arts and to artists. His tenure as Chair was during perhaps the most challenging time for the arts, encompassing funding cuts, a global pandemic, Brexit negotiations and the downgrading of arts on the national curriculum. 

Throughout all of this he has been a calm, passionate and reassuring presence and a steadfast champion for access to great art. We owe him our gratitude.

Incoming Chair of Arts Council England Dawn Airey CBE said: 

I am thrilled and humbled to succeed the arts titan that is Sir Nicholas Serota, who has magnificently and courageously chaired Arts Council England for the last decade. He has been brilliant.

The importance of the Arts Council in championing art and culture has never been more needed because the sector has never been more vital to our nation. In a world where Al, technology and automation are increasingly dominant, human connection, experience, imagination and creativity are the things that bring us together. They are the quintessential elements of a creative life and of a life well lived.

The Arts Council has a clear new mandate, informed by the recent Independent Review - to do more to support, nurture and protect the arts, and to do so transparently, with speed and with a fairer distribution of spend.

I am honoured to have been appointed as the new Chair of Arts Council England as we champion artistic excellence and experience for all, wherever you live, whatever you do. This is your Arts Council and I am excited to be part of it.

Sir Nicholas Serota CH, Chair, Arts Council England, said:

Being Chair of Arts Council England, an institution that has served the nation in its support for art and culture for the past eighty years, has been a great honour. Over the last decade, we have navigated periods of significant change and uncertainty, including a global pandemic, economic challenges and shifts in the way people engage with culture. Through it all, the creativity, resilience and ambition of the sector have been extraordinary.

In Dawn, the Arts Council will have a leader who understands the unique role the arts play in society and the profound impact they have on individuals. I am confident that, under her stewardship, the organisation will thrive and the sector will flourish. 

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

It's been an absolute privilege to work alongside Nick. We all share the deepest respect for him and the outstanding leadership and guidance he's given us over the past decade. As our next chapter begins, it's exciting to have Dawn as our new leader. We'll benefit from her wealth of experience across the arts, media and sport. From day one, she'll be a catalyst for change helping us in the next stage of our journey championing the value of artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries. I share her passion for ensuring England is a nation which truly offers a fair spread of excellent culture for everybody, everywhere.

Under Arts Council England's Royal Charter, the appointment of the Chair is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. 

Ministers were assisted in their decision making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a senior departmental official and a Senior Independent Panel Member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

Notes to editors 

• The Chair of Arts Council England is remunerated at £60,000 per annum for a time commitment of two days per week. 
• This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 
• Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dawn Airey has not declared any significant political activity.