Chair

A creative and entrepreneurial cultural leader with over thirty five years of experience of organisational leadership, cultural policy and international working, Joanna Baker is currently an independent consultant and non-executive director working across the Scottish, UK and international cultural sectors.

Managing Director of the Edinburgh International Festival from 2006 – 2018, Joanna’s most recent role - between Sept 2020 and July 2022 - was as Executive Director of IMPACT Scotland, the charity established to develop and run the Dunard Centre, a new state of the art concert hall being built in the heart of Edinburgh.

Joanna is currently the Chair of the National Partnership for Culture (an advisory group to Scottish Ministers), a Trustee of the Edinburgh International Culture Summit Foundation and a co-founder and director of Primadonna Festival – a festival celebrating brilliant writing and giving prominence to work by women and voices from the margins.

Earlier career experience includes small, medium and large-scale UK and international touring with Welsh National Opera and Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet whilst previous Board roles include the National Youth Choir of Scotland (Chair), the Creative Industries Federation, Queen Margaret University, Scottish Ballet and Scottish Arts Council.

Joanna was awarded a CBE for Services to the Arts in 2020.