Sian will succeed Nick Capaldi who announced in December 2020 that he would be stepping down from the role this summer.

Sian Tomos currently holds the portfolio of Director (Arts Development) at Arts Council of Wales - a role which has responsibility for Arts Portfolio Wales, Arts and Health, Local Government, Public Partnerships, Community Rebuilding and Creative Industries. Sian has also led the Arts Council’s work on the Welsh language and environmental issues and is an advocate of the Well-being of Future Generations Act Wales, which uses the sustainable development principle to promote better health and well-being. She joined the Arts Council of Wales on its inception and prior to becoming a director, was the Regional Director in north Wales for over 10 years.

Phil George, Chair, Art Council of Wales, said:

"I’m so delighted that Sian Tomos will be our new Chief Executive. In a strong field of candidates, Sian impressed the appointment panel with her clarity of vision, her human touch, her strong grasp of collaborative partnerships and her creative commitment to equality of access to the arts.”

Sian has a passion for cultural democracy and for a Wales in which our diverse communities find strength and energy through involvement with the arts. Her experience and achievements have fitted her superbly for leading the Arts Council of Wales and advocating for the whole arts sector. But she will be a leader on a journey, the one so many of us are wanting to take, towards a fairer and more inclusive Wales.

"I would also like to thank Nick Capaldi for his outstanding contribution to the arts in Wales over thirteen years, using public funds wisely to create a healthy environment for the arts in Wales to flourish, and more recently, for his decisive leadership during the Covid-19 outbreak."

Sian Tomos will start her role as Chief Executive of Arts Council of Wales in September.

END                                                                  Thursday 10 June 2021

Please contact the Arts Council of Wales press office on 029 2033 1344 / 1307 if there are any enquiries.