Introducing Lisa Edgar

The Friends of The Wilson welcome Lisa Edgar, who this month joins The Cheltenham Trust as Head of Culture. Here Lisa gives a brief sketch of her career to date before looking forward to her new role and to the re-launch of The Wilson with the opportunities and challenges its transformation will offer.

Lisa Edgar has 30 years experience as an arts manager, curator and educator. Currently acting Head of Art at National Museum Wales, Lisa leads a team focused on making one of Europe’s great art collections accessible to broad audiences through an exciting programme of exhibitions, events and community projects across Wales.

Her work is grounded in communities working with diverse groups and a wide range of partners, and she takes a strategic role in placing visual art within mainstream education as curriculum advisor on GCSE and A Level Art and Design. Formerly, she has led an award-winning engagement programme in her role as Head of Education at Ffotogallery, Wales’ national agency for photography and film. She has also led public programmes for the Diffusion International Festival of Photography, and is a founder member and chair of g39, an arts organisation which has won international acclaim as a platform for new artists and creative innovation. It includes galleries, studios and WARP – the Wales Artists’ Resource Programme.

She has worked on major exhibition projects including Wales at the Venice Biennale, and a major British Council arts exchange programme with India.

Lisa said:

‘I am delighted to be appointed to the role of Head of Culture at The Cheltenham Trust and look forward to working with Laurie Bell and the Executive Team to lead the re-launch of The Wilson Gallery and Museum in 2022, which aims to invigorate the creative art community across Cheltenham, lead the conversation around the production and display of art, contemporary exhibitions and share our exceptional historic, modern and contemporary art collections. The transformed Wilson will include new galleries, artists’ studios, a new café bar and co-working facilities supporting art practice, providing a place for experiencing and creating art and culture. I look forward to working closely with communities across Gloucestershire to drive an exciting and inclusive art and engagement programme and welcoming our audiences in the Spring.’