Collective is pleased to announce the appointment of Anne Bonnar as Chair of the Board. With wide ranging experience in private, public and voluntary sectors Anne has led and collaborated on projects with a wide range of artists and creative enterprises at local, national and international level.

Anne is co-founder of Bonnar Keenlyside, one of the UK’s leading cultural management consultancies, is a former Trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland and was a founding director of the National Theatre of Scotland. She succeeds Jan-Bert van den Berg who steps down as Collective’s Chair.

On taking up this new role, Anne said: “I am looking forward very much to working with the exceptional team at Collective and with cultural and heritage partners in the achievement of the innovative project at Calton Hill and to guiding Collective on the next stage of its journey.”

Leonie Bell, Director, Arts and Engagement, Creative Scotland, said: “We are delighted at Anne Bonnar’s appointment as Chair of Collective. Anne is ideally placed to guide Collective’s work through this important and exciting period. Collective occupies a significant place within the visual arts infrastructure in Scotland and the redevelopment of the City Observatory Site provides a rich and interesting context for the organisation and its work. We wish Anne well in her new role as Chair and look forward to experiencing the next chapter of Collectives development.”

Anne specialises in developing innovative business models, in and leading organisational change and in developing sustainable arts buildings. She joins Collective at an exciting time when it is about to embark on the redevelopment of the iconic City Observatory site on Calton Hill as the gallery’s new home. Anne has the experience to support Collective as it raises the final funds required and see the organisation through this transitional period.

Launching Collective’s Buy-a-Brick private giving scheme Anne said: “The redevelopment of the City Observatory site and the creation of new spaces for contemporary art is a fantastic project which brings together art, history, science, astronomy, geology, politics and culture. Collective is very close to raising the final funds for this special and unique place and time is critical to save these historic buildings and breathe new life into the site. We are now seeking donations from individuals who want to help support us to make this exciting vision for the site a reality.”

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