Penny Macbeth

Professor Penny Macbeth is an designer and educator; and current Director of The Glasgow School of Art. She took the post of Director in May 2020  following an international search to replace the then Interim Director Irene McAra-McWilliam.

She is a board trustee of Universities Scotland and Castlefield Gallery Manchester. She was previously a board trustee of CHEAD, represented the sector on the Westminster Parliament All-Party Parliamentary Group for Crafts and is a strong creative and cultural advocate and innovative leader.

Life
Penny Macbeth trained at Birmingham City University graduating with an MA in Textiles. Following a career in the design sector she joined Huddersfield University becoming Head of the Department of Art and Design, subsequently moving to Manchester Metropolitan University where she became Dean of Manchester School of Art and Deputy Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Arts and Humanities focusing on external engagement and partnerships.

At Manchester Metropolitan University she was academic lead for the University’s ground breaking School of Digital Arts: SODA, which opened 2021, sat on two citywide bodies: Culture Corridor Group and the St Johns network and was academic board nominee on Manchester Metropolitan’s Board of Governors.

Since joining The Glasgow School of Art Macbeth has overseen the development of a new Strategic Plan, established a new academic School of Innovation and Technology, published a Strategic Outline Business Case for the rebuilding of the GSA’s Mackintosh Building, committing to faithful reinstatement and reset the GSA’s relationships with students, staff and its wider community.

Works
Macbeth is an active researcher, her work explores cloth’s potential as a carrier of narrative and catalyst for community empathy and cohesion; research is drawn from artists, practitioners and archival sources.