Arts Council of Wales Chief Executive, Nick Capaldi, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role at the end of Summer 2021.  By then he will have completed 13 years in the role.

Commenting on his announcement, Nick Capaldi said:

“It has been a privilege and a joy to work for the Arts Council of Wales.  I’ve met so many extraordinary artists and creative individuals and have been constantly thrilled by the inspiration and quality of the arts in Wales.  I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received from an expert group of Council members.  And I’m especially grateful to my wonderful Arts Council colleagues who work so hard to nurture the arts in Wales.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been all consuming and I’ve spent much of the past year doing everything I could to help defend and protect the arts in Wales.  By the end of next Summer I’m optimistic that public activity will have largely resumed and that the arts will once again flourish.

“This therefore feels like a good moment for a new person to bring fresh ideas to addressing the different challenges that will lie ahead.  It’s important that I allow sufficient time for the recruitment of my successor and I’m sure that there will be no shortage of excellent candidates for what I consider to be the best job in the arts in Wales.”

Arts Council of Wales Chair, Phil George, said:

“We in Wales have been so fortunate to have Nick leading the Arts Council of Wales for well over a decade.  His impact on the development of the arts in our nation has been powerful and he has played a major role in their flourishing.

“He is an exemplary public servant – in his integrity, his deep and untiring commitment and in his sound and incisive judgement.  Above all, he loves the creativity of artists and has a passion for reaching a wider public with the transformative experience of the arts

“Working with his talented colleagues and with a committed Council, Nick has changed the place of the arts in Welsh society.  They sit in the centre, in the mainstream, at the heart of all our dreams and aspirations.  In one of his own phrases – one he uses to challenge us to pursue the social justice demanded by the pandemic crisis – he has ‘reset the dial’.

“We owe him a huge debt of gratitude and we shall honour him best by tenaciously continuing the work he has done with such distinction.”

Nick Capaldi joined the Arts Council of Wales in September 2008.  Before this he was Arts Council England’s Executive Director for the South West of England region. 

A graduate of the Royal College of Music, Nick Capaldi’s early career was as a professional pianist.  He has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by City University London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.  He is also a Governor of Cardiff Metropolitan University.