Granada Head Wins Arts Council Post
Date: 15 January 1998
Chairman of the Granada Group Gerry Robinson was appointed chairman of the Arts Council of England yesterday. The appointment coincides with the expected confirmation of Sir Colin Southgate, head of the EMI music group, as chairman of the Royal Opera House. The infiltration of such high-flying businessmen, with little or no experience in the performing arts, into two of the nation's highest posts in arts management has met with some consternation from the arts world but is heavily backed by the government. Mr Robinson currently acts as chairman of BSkyB as well as Granada whose interests include hotel, leisure and television (London Weekend Television and ITN). His unpaid position at the Arts Council will run until January 2001. Robinson replaces Lord Gowrie, who shocked the arts world in October when he announced his resignation, a full year earlier than the termination of his five-year contract. Although Gowrie claimed he was leaving for purely ‘personal reasons , many believe that the negative publicity surrounding the relationship between the Council and the ROH, now in serious financial crisis, contributed to it. Robinson takes over from Gowrie in April.
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