The Bernie Grant Arts Centre (BGAC) has announced the appointment of Bridget Banton as its new Chief Executive Officer, taking the helm as the centre approaches its 20th anniversary and Haringey’s year as London Borough of Culture in 2027.
Banton will lead BGAC, guiding the centre’s creative and strategic vision, while building on Bernie Grant’s legacy. She will strengthen community connections, champion Black creativity, and ensure BGAC remains a vibrant and sustainable cultural hub for the next generation of artists and audiences.
A creative and strategic leader, Banton’s 25 year career spans television, publishing, digital media, and youth culture. She has held senior leadership roles at Channel 4, Paramount, BBC, Penguin Random House, and Nike’s Girl Effect, and founded Dear Creative Gurl, a consultancy supporting mission-driven organisations with storytelling and content strategies.
Known for championing diverse and emerging voices, she has led transformative television commissioning and shaped multi-platform storytelling that resonates with young audiences and wider communities, reflecting her dedication to creativity, collaboration, and building purposeful cultural partnerships.
Her broader sector contributions include long-standing membership within BAFTA, including as part of the BAFTA Membership Council, trusteeship as a Board Governor of the London Museum, and fellowship at the RSA.
Banton’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as the BGAC – London’s only Black-led combined arts venue. The centre is a cultural landmark in Tottenham, providing a home for innovative work by Black artists and a hub for creativity, learning and community engagement. She will play a key role in expanding programming, deepening community roots, and building a sustainable income base to secure the centre’s long-term success.
Located in one of London’s most diverse yet economically challenged boroughs, BGAC plays a vital role in addressing inequality through creativity and community. With over 39% of children in Haringey growing up in poverty – above the national average of 31% – the centre stands as a space of empowerment and belonging, where art enables both expression and opportunity. Its work with local schools, community groups, and emerging artists demonstrates how culture can be a catalyst for connection and driving positive change.
Bridget succeeds Azieb Pool, who stepped down earlier this year after more than six years as Artistic Director and CEO, having led BGAC through a period of profound change and growth.
On joining Bernie Grant Arts Centre as CEO, Bridget Banton said: “The Bernie Grant Arts Centre is more than just a venue: it’s a space where creativity, community and culture intersect. To be invited to lead this next chapter in its story as the CEO, feels humbling – and a real privilege.
“My background as a creative leader is in media, content and storytelling, but the common thread has always been purpose: serving and connecting with audiences. Over my career I’ve worked across sectors, geographies and platforms, forming partnerships that bring different communities and creative disciplines together. I hope to bring that experience to The Bernie Grant Arts Centre and build upon the legacy already in place.
“I believe the future of creativity lies in co-creation and collaboration: rooted in community, operating across disciplines, and embracing technology and innovation. Presenting itself in a hybrid offering that traverses physical spaces and digital platforms, where people can meet in real life, share ideas, experiment, grow – and most importantly create. The Bernie Grant Arts Centre is one of those rare spaces: rooted in Tottenham and born from its community and culture, yet connected to a wider, global creative ecosystem. Bernie Grant was a trailblazer whose vision still feels fresh. I look forward to working with the team to keep his light burning strong, and to collaborating with partners and audiences who share our values: in Tottenham, across London, around the nation and within the diaspora.”
Geoffrey Williams, Chair of Trustees at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, commented on Bridget’s appointment: “Bridget is a force of nature. Throughout the process, we felt she brought the energy and focus that Bernie Grant Arts Centre needs to thrive as a modern and sustainable arts and community centre. As she takes ownership of steering this charity into its next chapter, I am excited to see the vision she brings and how the community rallies around her. Just as we at BGAC already have.”
