Jillian Barker
Trustee
Driven by a passion for inspiring creativity and overcoming the lack of equity in the arts, Jillian Barker is a strong advocate or widening access to the arts and creative learning. She has held leadership positions in cultural organisations of national and international significance including English Touring Opera, the Arts Council, Barbican Centre, National Gallery and a consultancy at Tate across a career of thirty years. In her current role as Director of Learning and Participation for the Royal Opera House she is responsible for leading a national programme to inspire creativity through ballet and opera and affect positive change including the award-winning Create & Learn National Schools Programme, programmes to nurture diverse young talent in ballet and opera and flagship festivals and events to open up the Royal Opera House. Her leadership roles have encompassed directing creative programmes, policy and strategy, partnership building and business development.
Jillian is particularly interested in commissioning new work which has resulted in over 60 poems and 70 new music commissions. She initiated New Music 20×12 for the London 2012 Olympics, which has now evolved into the New Music Biennial.
She has sat on a range of boards including Hampstead Theatre, Burgh House and was a founding Trustee of the Prince of Wales’ Foundation for Children and the Arts. She is a trustee of the John S Cohen Foundation. She achieved her Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School in 2024.