Ben Walmsley, Centre for Cultural Value

Ben is the Director of the Centre for Cultural Value and Professor of Cultural Engagement at the University of Leeds. He is currently leading a national research project investigating the impacts of Covid-19 on the cultural sector and the implications for policy. His research encompasses arts management, arts marketing, audience studies and cultural policy, with a focus on audience engagement and enrichment; change management in the arts; and cultural value and leadership.

Prior to his academic career, he worked as an arts manager for ten years, most recently as a Producer at the National Theatre of Scotland. Since 2014 Ben has been the Academic Director of the Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Programme. His monograph Audience Engagement in the Performing Arts: A critical analysis was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2019.