The National Galleries of Scotland has appointed Catherine Muirden as the new Chair of the Board, effective 1 November 2025, for a four-year term. Muirden brings extensive experience from corporate roles at Barclays, Marks & Spencer, the John Lewis Partnership, and The Co-operative Group, alongside two decades of arts board service in Scotland, including as Vice chair of Scottish Ballet and chair of the Fruitmarket Gallery. She succeeds Benny Higgins, who led the board through a period of significant challenges. Muirden's priorities include safeguarding the national art collection, strengthening public engagement through The Art Works development, and securing sustainable funding.
The appointment comes as the National Galleries of Scotland prepares to open The Art Works, a new state-of-the-art facility in North Edinburgh that will serve as a community space, conservation lab, research center, and art storage hub. The project, approved in 2023, will allow visitors to explore 130,000 artworks and enable the collection to travel across Scotland. Muirden's leadership is seen as crucial to realizing this ambitious project and ensuring the institution's long-term financial stability and public accessibility.