Salman Rushdie Leads 170 Cultural Figures in Protest Over Barbican Director's Exit
Salman Rushdie, John Akomfrah, and Pankaj Mishra are among more than 170 prominent cultural figures who have signed an open letter expressing profound disappointment and alarm over the departure of Devyani Saltzman from her role as arts director at the Barbican Centre in London. The letter, signed by global majority creative leaders and allies, raises serious questions about the institution's commitment to diversity in senior leadership.
Sudden Departure Amid Leadership Changes
Saltzman, who became director of arts and participation at the Barbican in February 2024, is leaving the institution just months after unveiling a comprehensive five-year creative vision for the organization. Her departure coincides with the recent arrival of a new chief executive officer, creating what signatories describe as concerning timing for such a significant leadership change.
The letter states: "We are writing as a group of global majority creative and cultural leaders and allies to express our profound disappointment and alarm at the decision to curtail Devyani Saltzman's tenure." It continues: "Her departure, after a comparatively short time in post and coinciding with the arrival of a new chief executive, raises serious questions about the institution's commitment to sustaining global majority leadership at the highest levels."
Saltzman's Impact and Vision
Saltzman, recently named one of the 40 most influential women working in the arts in the UK, had become the Barbican's public face over the past 18 months. She was described as the driving force behind the organization and was vocal about the need for London's cultural institutions to have leadership reflecting the diverse city they inhabit.
In 2024, she stated: "We are actually in a new wave of next-generation leadership that hopefully is going to shift the model." Her departure comes with no plans for replacement, leaving questions about how artistic leadership at the Barbican will be configured moving forward.
Broad Coalition of Concern
The signatories represent a broad coalition of international cultural figures including Grammy-nominated sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar, musician and producer Nitin Sawhney, American playwright David Adjmi, Indian novelist Kiran Desai, Pakistani-British novelist Kamila Shamsie, Armenian-Canadian film-maker Atom Egoyan, British curator Mark Sealy, and former British Council arts director Skinder Hundal.
The letter emphasizes that this is "not an ordinary HR issue" but rather a matter with sector-wide and community-wide implications. It states: "This is a major public cultural institution, funded and held in trust for the people of this city and country. A decision affecting its most senior artistic role, and one of the very few leaders of south Asian and racially diverse heritage in its history, has sector-wide and community-wide implications."
Demands for Transparency
The signatories have called on the Barbican board and the City of London Corporation to publicly clarify several key issues:
- Whether the arts director role has been formally deleted
- The processes that led to the decision regarding Saltzman's departure
- How artistic leadership at the Barbican will now be configured
- Publication of data on the diversity of the Barbican's senior leadership and governance
Barbican's Response and Historical Context
In response, Barbican chair William Russell reiterated that he was unable to comment on confidential staff matters, instead linking to the centre's press statement celebrating Saltzman's contributions. The Barbican has experienced several leadership changes over the past five years, including the 2021 resignation of managing director Nicholas Kenyon after 14 years following staff allegations of institutional racism.
Saltzman's tenure began during controversy surrounding the Barbican's decision to back out of hosting a talk by Pankaj Mishra about the Holocaust and allegations regarding Israel's actions in Gaza. Her departure in May 2024 marks another significant transition for the institution as it navigates questions about leadership diversity and artistic direction.
