APPLICATIONS for the role of chairman of Glasgow School of Art are being sought as the institution seeks to make a new appointment in the wake of Muriel Gray's resignation.
The prestigious post on the Board of Governors has now been advertised and comes just months after a report into the second blaze at the institution found that the cause may never be known.
Ms Gray stood down as chairman of Glasgow School of Art last September, three years after a second fire engulfed the building. She said it had been “the greatest honour” to help with governing the institution but that it was time for a “fresh, energetic, and long-term committed person” to take over the role.
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The world-renowned Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed Mackintosh Building at the art school was extensively damaged by a blaze in June 2018 while it was undergoing a £35 million restoration following a previous fire in May 2014.
Kristen Bennie was appointed interim chairman of the Board of Governors last October and said it was a privilege to take it on at an exciting time in the school's development.
Dr Graham Sharp, Convenor of the Board Chair Election Committee, said: “The Glasgow School of Art is at a pivotal and exciting moment in its history. The new Chair will play a vital role in leading the Board of Governors and ensuring that the Institution is well connected with its stakeholders, including staff and students.”
The cause of the second art school blaze may never be known, according to report
The advert said GSA was a world leading, higher education institution for the visual creative disciplines. Founded in 1845 as one of the UK’s first schools of design, it said the GSA is ranked amongst the top ten art and design schools globally and is a small, specialist institution with a diverse and international community of students and staff.
It went on to say: "Alongside our global standing, we continue to contribute to Glasgow’s position as a European cultural capital, with many of our graduates contributing to the cultural and creative industries that make the city thrive. We are currently finalising our new strategic plan, which will reflect our shared ambitions for the School and outline a course of action to realise these as part of a successful and sustainable future."
They are are now looking to appoint a new chairman, who will play a key role in guiding the GSA through the chapter.
Muriel Gray appearing before Holyrood's culture committee in November 2018 to give evidence to the Glasgow School of Art inquiry. She stood down as chairman last year.
"The Chair will lead the GSA’s governing body, which is responsible for ensuring the School is run effectively in alignment with its strategic objectives and with regards to its finances, and safeguarding its reputation and values. Candidates will need to bring a strong record of successful leadership in a complex organisation, substantial experience of chairing meetings and facilitating effective decision making and governance, and a good understanding of the regulatory framework and higher education context within which the GSA operates," the advert stated.
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The advert said the chairman will need to be an excellent communicator who can represent the school internally and externally. The role involves a commitment of at least 50 days per year and chairman can request the remuneration of £20,000 per annum.
In January a long-awaited report into the fire that ravaged the Glasgow School of Art for a second time concluded that the cause may never be known but wilful fire raising and electrical failure could not be "fully discounted."
Firefighters dampening down following the fire at the Glasgow School of Art in 2018
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) published the findings of its investigation into the 2018 fire that caused catastrophic damage to the prized Mackintosh Building as it neared the end of a £35million restoration project following a previous blaze in May 2014.
The report said accidental ignition by something like a cigarette could not be fully ruled out as well as a deliberate fire or an electrical failure.
Coverage of the entire scaffolding structure was not provided, which suggests that a person, or persons, could have accessed the building via the structure, undetected.
CCTV footage taken from the Sports Complex Building of St Aloysius College, captured a lone figure in the carpark approximately three hours after discovery of the fire. They were never traced by Police Scotland.
The report found that the timeframe concerning this individual did not coincide with the outbreak of fire, however, involvement earlier in wilful fire-raising activity "could not be fully discounted."
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