Darren Henley

Last updated

Darren Richard Henley CBE , born February 1973, is the Chief Executive of Arts Council England [1] [2] and an author of books about the arts. He is a member of the UK government's Creative Industries Council. [3]

Contents

Education

He attended St Edmund's School Canterbury, [4] and is a graduate of the University of Hull (BA Hons, politics), the University of South Wales (MSc, management), the University of Buckingham (MA, history of art), Middlesex University (DProf professional doctorate examining the role of the outsider as an agent for change), Buckinghamshire New University (MSc, applied positive psychology) and Henley Business School (PGCert, coaching and behavioural change). He holds an FLCM fellowship diploma from the London College of Music at the University of West London. [5]

Career

Between 1989 and 1994, he worked as a freelance radio journalist for stations including Invicta FM, LBC, and Classic FM (UK), first working for Classic FM in 1992 as a weekend and overnight newsreader before becoming programme editor of the station's Classic Newsnight programme in 1995. [6] He was made News Manager in 1996, Programme Manager in 1999, Managing Editor in 2000, Station Manager in 2004 and Managing Director in 2006. [7] In 2014, he was announced as the new Chief Executive of Arts Council England, succeeding Alan Davey.

In this post, in 2022 he presided over his organisation's funding cuts to established arts companies - notably the removal of English National Opera from the national portfolio of funded organisations - and caused further furore in the operatic world by suggesting that operatic performance in England and Wales needed to move away from theatres, as "A new generation of audiences is embracing opera and music theatre presented in new ways: opera in car parks, opera in pubs, opera on your tablet". [8] [1] [2]

The cuts of £50m centred on London and included long-established producers of new writing, Stockroom, the Donmar Theatre and the Hampstead Theatre. [9]

Government reviews

In 2011, he undertook an independent review of the funding and delivery of music education in England for the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the UK government. [10] The following year, he authored an independent review of cultural education in England for the same two government departments. [11] He was a member of the Scottish Government's Instrumental Music Group, which published a report into instrumental music tuition in Scotland in 2013. [12]

Music and cultural education

From 2007 to 2010, he chaired the Music Manifesto Partnership and Advocacy Group, set up by Education Minister Andrew Adonis as part of a government-backed campaign to improve young people's music education in England. [13] From 2013 to 2015, he co-chaired the government's Cultural Education Board, first with Schools Minister Liz Truss MP and Culture Minister Ed Vaizey MP and then with Nick Gibb MP and Ed Vaizey MP. [14] His other arts related roles have included Chair of the Mayor of London's Music Education Task Force, [15] Patron of the Mayor of London's Fund for Young Musicians, [16] member of the governing body of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, [17] trustee and Vice-President of the Canterbury Festival [18] and Commissioner on the University of Warwick's Commission on the Future of Cultural Value. [19]

Books

Henley has written or co-written thirty books on arts related subjects, [7] including the Sunday Times bestselling Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Classical Music...But Were Too Afraid To Ask [20] and an official history of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. [21] He is the co-author of The Virtuous Circle: Why Creativity and Cultural Education Count [22] and the author of The Arts Dividend: Why Investment in Culture Pays [23] and Creativity: Why It Matters. [24]

Honours and awards

Henley's audiobook for children The Story of Classical Music was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005. [25] He was a Finalist in the Station Programmer category at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in 2008 [26] and was named Commercial Radio Programmer of the Year at the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards in 2009, [27] having been nominated in the same category in 2007. [28] Classic FM won the UK Station of the Year Category at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in 2007, [29] the Music Programming Gold Award in 2009, [30] a Special Award to mark the station's 20th anniversary in 2012 [31] and the inaugural UK Radio Brand of the Year Gold Award in 2013. [32] At the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards, Classic FM was named Station of the Year in the TSA 1 million+ category in 2011, [33] while Henley and Classic FM jointly won the Arqiva Gold Award in 2012. [34] The station also won a Classic BRIT Award in 2012 [35] and a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2013. [36] Henley was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1998, [7] a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute in 2009, [37] an Honorary Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University in 2010, [38] an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2011, [39] a Fellow of the Radio Academy in 2011, [40] an Honorary Member of the Royal Northern College of Music in 2012, [41] an Honorary Member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians in 2013, [42] an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University in 2014, [43] an honorary fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama [44] in 2015, an honorary member of the Royal College of Music [45] in 2016, a companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts [46] in 2016 and an honorary fellow of Arts University Bournemouth [47] in 2017. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Hull, [48] Birmingham City University, [49] Buckinghamshire New University, [50] the University of the Arts London, [51] York St John University, [52] the University of Sunderland [53] and Manchester Metropolitan University [54] and an honorary MA from the University for the Creative Arts. [55] He was awarded the Sir Charles Groves Prize for "his outstanding contribution to British music" in 2013 [56] and the President's Medal by the British Academy for the humanities and social sciences in 2015 [57] for "his contributions to music education, music research, and the arts".

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to music [58] [59] and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to the arts. [60]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Rattle</span> British conductor (born 1955)

Sir Simon Denis Rattle is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018. He has been the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra since September 2017. Among the world's leading conductors, in a 2015 Bachtrack poll, he was ranked by music critics as one of the world's best living conductors.

Tasmin Elizabeth Little is an English classical violinist. She is a concerto soloist and also performs as a recitalist and chamber musician. She has released numerous albums, winning the Critics Award at the Classic Brit Awards in 2011 for her recording of Elgar's Violin Concerto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Liverpool Philharmonic</span> English symphony organisation

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, is the UK's oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra. In addition to the orchestra, the organisation administers the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company and other choirs and ensembles. It is involved in educational and community projects in Liverpool and its surrounding region. It is based in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, an Art Deco concert hall built in the late 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Lloyd Webber</span> British cellist and conductor (born 1951)

Julian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist, conductor and broadcaster, a former principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the founder of the In Harmony music education programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aled Jones</span> Welsh singer and TV presenter (born 1970)

Aled Jones, is a Welsh singer and radio and television presenter. As a teenage chorister, he gained widespread fame in 1985 with his recording of "Walking in the Air", which reached the UK top five. Since then he has worked in television with the BBC and ITV, and on radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resonance FM</span> Community radio station in London

Resonance 104.4 FM is a London based non-profit community radio station specialising in the arts run by the London Musicians' Collective (LMC). The station is staffed by four permanent staff members, including programme controller Ed Baxter and over 300 volunteer technical and production staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central 103.1 FM</span> Radio station

Central 103.1 FM is an Independent Local Radio station serving Falkirk, Stirling, Clackmannanshire and the Forth Valley. It is owned and operated by businessman John Quinn and broadcasts from studios at the Springkerse Industrial Estate in Stirling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Goodall</span> English composer (born 1958)

Howard Lindsay Goodall is an English composer of musicals, choral music and music for television. He also presents music-based programmes for television and radio, for which he has won many awards. In May 2008, he was named as a presenter and "Composer-in-Residence" with the UK radio channel Classic FM. In May 2009, he was named "Composer of the Year" at the Classic BRIT Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian O'Connell</span> British-born Australian radio disc jockey (b. 1973)

Christian Liam O'Connell is an Australia based British radio disc jockey, television host, writer, and comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitin Sawhney</span> British musician

Nitin Sawhney is a British musician, producer and composer. A recipient of the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award in 2017, among multiple international awards throughout his career. Sawhney's work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics, and spirituality. Sawhney is also active in the promotion of arts and cultural matters, is chair of the PRS Foundation, on the senate of the Ivor Novello Academy, on the board of trustees of theatre company Complicité, and is a patron of numerous film festivals, venues, and educational institutions. In 2021 he was an ambassador for the Royal Albert Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Balsom</span> English trumpet player (b1978)

Alison Louise Balsom, Lady Mendes, is an English trumpet soloist, arranger, producer, and music educator. Balsom was awarded Artist of the Year at the 2013 Gramophone Awards and has won three Classic BRIT Awards and three German Echo Awards, and was a soloist at the BBC Last Night of the Proms in 2009. She was the artistic director of the 2019 Cheltenham Music Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jude Kelly</span> English theatre director (born 1954)

Judith "Jude" Pamela Kelly,, is a British theatre director and producer. She is a director of the WOW Foundation, which organises the annual Women of the World Festival, founded in 2010 by Kelly. From 2006 to 2018, she was Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoffrey Lancaster</span> Australian pianist and conductor

Geoffrey Lancaster is an Australian classical pianist and conductor. Born in Sydney, he was raised in Dubbo, New South Wales before moving to Canberra. He attended the Canberra School of Music where he studied piano with Larry Sitsky. He also studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy, and also completed a master's degree at the University of Tasmania. In 1984, he moved to Amsterdam to study fortepiano with Stanley Hoogland at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. In 1996 he was a professor at the Royal College of Music in London, following which he worked at the School of Music at the University of Western Australia. He was a professor of the ANU School of Music from 2000 until 2012. Now based in Perth, he is Professor of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Robinson (educationalist)</span> British author, speaker, and education reformer (1950–2020)

Sir Ken Robinson was a British author, speaker and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education and arts bodies. He was director of the Arts in Schools Project (1985–1989) and Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick (1989–2001), and Professor Emeritus after leaving the university. In 2003, he was knighted for services to the arts.

David Michael "Ram Jam" Rodigan MBE OD is a British radio DJ who also performs as a disc jockey. Known for his selections of reggae and dancehall music, he has played on stations including Radio London, Capital 95.8, Kiss 100, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BFBS Radio.

Ian Ritchie is a British architect who founded Ian Ritchie Architects in 1981. His projects include the RIBA Award-winning Susie Sainsbury Theatre and Angela Burgess Recital Hall for the Royal Academy of Music, Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London and the American Institute of Architects Award-winning Royal Shakespeare Company Courtyard Theatre. Ritchie was the first foreign architect to receive the French Academie d'Architecture Grand Silver Medal for Innovation.

Nicholas Arthur Frayling KStJ is a British Church of England priest. From September 2002 to February 2014, he served as the Dean of Chichester.

Andi Durrant is an English radio presenter, company co-founder, disc jockey and record producer from Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury Christ Church University</span> University in Kent, UK

Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) is a university located in Canterbury, Kent, England. Founded as a Church of England college for teacher training in 1962, it was granted university status in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Curry</span> British video game composer

Dr. Jessica Curry is an English composer, radio presenter and former co-head of the British video game development studio The Chinese Room. She won a BAFTA award in 2016 for her score for the video game Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and received an honorary doctorate from Abertay University in 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "New Chief Executive of Arts Council England announced". Arts Council England. 16 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 Christiansen, Rupert (17 December 2014). "Can this man save the arts in England?". The Daily Telegraph .
  3. ↑ "Creative Industries Council".
  4. ↑ TES (undated)"Ace Pilot beat the Doctors", (undated)
  5. ↑ "Who's Who". www.ukwhoswho.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-07.
  6. ↑ Burrell, Ian (3 September 2012). "Darren Henley: The radio boss with a plan to drag classical music into the digital era". The Independent.
  7. 1 2 3 "Darren Henley, Esq, OBE". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "We don't want to bring down the curtain on ENO, but opera has to change | Darren Henley". the Guardian. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  9. ↑ Wood, Alex (4 November 2022). "Donmar Warehouse and more lose NPO status". WhatsOnstage.
  10. ↑ "Music Education in England – A Review By Darren Henley". Department for Education and Department for Culture, Media & Sport. 7 February 2011.
  11. ↑ "Cultural Education in England – Independent Review By Darren Henley". Department for Education and Department for Culture, Media & Sport. 29 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "Schools: School curriculum and qualifications - gov.scot".
  13. ↑ "Latest News from Music Teacher Magazine". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  14. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 14 Oct 2013 (Pt 0007)".
  15. ↑ "Making Music Matter | Greater London Authority". Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  16. ↑ "Music has the power to change lives | London Music Fund | Music Education Charity".
  17. ↑ "ABRSM: Press releases and articles". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  18. ↑ "Canterbury Festival". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  19. ↑ "Commissioners - Henley".
  20. ↑ "Classic FM's book on Sunday Times bestseller list". Classic FM. 31 July 2012.
  21. ↑ Henley, Darren; McKernan, Vincent (2009). The Original Liverpool Sound. Liverpool University Press. ISBN   9781846312243.
  22. ↑ Sorrell, John; Roberts, Paul; Henley, Darren (2014). The Virtuous Circle: Why Creativity and Cultural Education Count. Elliott & Thompson. ISBN   9781783961122.
  23. ↑ Henley, Darren (2015). The Arts Dividend: Why Investment in Culture Pays. Elliott & Thompson. ISBN   9781783962778.
  24. ↑ Henley, Darren (2018). Creativity: Why It Matters. Elliott & Thompson. ISBN   9781783963782.
  25. ↑ "Naxos earns 14 Grammy Award nominations". Naxos. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  26. ↑ Guardian Staff (2008-04-10). "Sony Radio Academy awards 2008 nominations". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  27. ↑ McCabe, Maisie (8 June 2009). "TalkSport, Classic and Star win double gongs at Arqiva awards". Media Week.
  28. ↑ Oatts, Joanne (2 July 2007). "In full: Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards winners". Digital Spy.
  29. ↑ "Sony Radio Academy Awards 2007 winners". TheGuardian.com . May 2007.
  30. ↑ "Sony Radio Academy Awards 2009: Full list of winners". TheGuardian.com . 12 May 2009.
  31. ↑ "Sony Radio Awards 2012: Winners in full". Digital Spy . 15 May 2012.
  32. ↑ "Sony Radio Awards 2013 winners in full". Digital Spy . 14 May 2013.
  33. ↑ "Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2011 - the winners". Digital Spy . 7 July 2011.
  34. ↑ "Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2012 winners announced". Archived from the original on 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
  35. ↑ "Classic FM wins Special Recognition Classic BRIT Award 2012".
  36. ↑ "Royal Philharmonic Society 2013 winners announced".
  37. ↑ "Directory of Companions 2011/12" (PDF). Chartered Management Institute. March 2011.
  38. ↑ "Darren Henley and Leyland Ridings are appointed Honorary Fellows". Canterbury Christ Church University. 20 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31.
  39. ↑ "Honorary Fellows". Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  40. ↑ "Fellows". The Radio Academy. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  41. ↑ "RNCM Announces its 2012 Fellows and Honorary Members". Royal Northern College of Music. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  42. ↑ "ISM announces five new honorary members | Incorporated Society of Musicians". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  43. ↑ "Sorry the page could not be found".
  44. ↑ "Graduation: Class of 2015 at the Guildhall School".
  45. ↑ "HRH the Prince of Wales Presents Honours During Annual Visit".
  46. ↑ "Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts".
  47. ↑ "Honorary Fellows - Arts University Bournemouth (formerly AUCB)". aub.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-03-26.
  48. ↑ "Honorary Graduates' Profiles - University of Hull". Archived from the original on 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
  49. ↑ "Birmingham City University : Graduation Ceremonies - Recent Honorary Graduates". Archived from the original on 2015-03-19. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
  50. ↑ "Leading lights to receive honorary degrees during Bucks New University's Graduation Week". Archived from the original on 2014-09-13. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
  51. ↑ "Stories". 26 November 2020.
  52. ↑ "2019".
  53. ↑ "Honour for arts guru". 11 July 2019.
  54. ↑ "2021 Honorary Graduates". Manchester Metropolitan University. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  55. ↑ "Blogs | University for the Creative Arts".
  56. ↑ "Sir Charles Groves Prize 2013". Making Music. 8 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2012-11-26.
  57. ↑ "News Item - British Academy". www.britac.ac.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
  58. ↑ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 11.
  59. ↑ "OBE award for Classic FM's Darren Henley". Radio Today. 29 December 2012.
  60. ↑ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B9.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.