Misan Harriman is stepping down as chair of the Southbank Centre. It marks the end of a highly watched tenure at the top of the UK's largest arts institution. When Harriman took the role back in July 2021, the cultural sector was in complete chaos. The pandemic had gutted live performances, budgets were bleeding, and institutions faced intense pressure to diversify their leadership.
Harriman was a historic appointment. He became the first Black chair in the history of the Southbank Centre. He brought a completely different energy to a role usually reserved for corporate veterans or traditional establishment figures. Now, five years later, his departure signals a moment of transition for both the venue and the broader British arts world.
The move comes at a critical time. Arts funding across the UK remains incredibly tight, and institutions are forced to balance community-driven access with massive commercial realities. Understanding why Harriman's departure matters requires looking past the standard press releases and looking at how his time in office changed the expectations of cultural leadership.
The Unusual Path to Cultural Power
Most people who run massive arts boards come from banking, corporate law, or civil service. Harriman didn't fit that mold at all. He built his reputation as a commentator, activist, and photographer. His striking images of the Black Lives Matter movement in London in 2020 thrust him into the global spotlight. He went from capturing history on the streets to photographing high-profile figures like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
That untraditional background was exactly why his appointment in 2021 turned heads. The Southbank Centre, which manages massive venues like the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the Hayward Gallery, needed a jolt of relevance.
His appointment wasn't just a win for representation. It was an experiment in whether an outsider, an artist with a massive social media following and direct ties to grassroots activism, could successfully navigate the bureaucracy of a heavily subsidized British institution.
What the Tenure Actually Changed
Harriman's time at the Southbank Centre was defined by pushing the venue outside its traditional comfort zone. Under his watch, the programming leaned heavily into contemporary culture, literature, and digital art, trying to draw in younger, more diverse audiences who historically felt alienated by the brutalist concrete walls of the South Bank.
The challenge was always going to be balancing that forward-thinking vision with the harsh financial realities of running a massive complex. The Southbank Centre relies on a mix of Arts Council England funding, ticket sales, and commercial income from the restaurants and shops on its estate.
During his tenure, the arts sector faced staggering inflation and a cost-of-living crisis that squeezed consumer spending. Navigating those waters meant making tough choices about programming and operations. While some traditionalists complained about the shifting focus of the venue, others saw it as a necessary evolution to keep the Southbank Centre financially viable and socially relevant.
The Struggle Facing the Next Chair
Whoever steps into Harriman's shoes faces an immediate uphill battle. The British cultural sector is dealing with structural issues that a single leadership change cannot fix.
First, the funding model is broken. Arts Council England has shifted its funding priorities away from London to support regional projects. This leaves major London institutions scrambling to fill massive deficits through private philanthropy and commercial ventures.
Second, the debate over what an arts institution should be is far from settled. Should the Southbank Centre focus purely on high art and prestige performances, or should it serve primarily as a democratic, accessible space for local communities? Harriman clearly favored the latter, but the financial pressure often demands the former.
The next chair will have to handle these competing demands without losing the younger audiences that Harriman helped bring through the doors. It requires someone who can handle intense financial scrutiny while keeping the creative output exciting.
What to Do If You Want to Support the Arts Right Now
If you care about the direction of institutions like the Southbank Centre, sitting on the sidelines doesn't help. The best way to influence these spaces is through direct engagement.
- Show up for independent programming. Buy tickets for the lesser-known exhibitions, debut writers, and community festivals. High ticket sales for diverse acts prove to the board that these programs are commercially viable.
- Utilize the free spaces. The Southbank Centre is unique because vast portions of its buildings are open to the public for free. Go there, use the spaces, and participate in free workshops. High foot traffic protects these areas from being privatized or commercialized.
- Give feedback directly. Major arts institutions regularly run public consultations and audience surveys. Do not ignore them. Use those platforms to voice what kind of leadership and programming you want to see in the future.
