We are currently seeking a new Chair to lead our Board of Trustees. This is a rare and significant opportunity to help shape the future of one of London’s most progressive cultural organisations. 

Find out more by accessing our Chair Recruitment Pack. 

We are looking for someone who shares our belief in the power of contemporary culture to create connection and spark change. Someone with the experience, vision, and generosity of spirit to support our Executive team, guide our governance, and champion our mission locally and globally. 
 
As Chair, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the ICA continues to be a space for experimentation, risk-taking, and dialogue — a platform for emerging voices and a catalyst for new ideas. You will lead a talented and committed Board, bringing your own leadership experience, your networks, and your passion for the arts to help secure the ICA’s future for generations to come. If that sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. 
 
The ICA has always belonged to those willing to imagine the world anew. We hope you will consider joining us on this extraordinary journey. 

Further Information

You may submit your answers as a PDF, Word document or a 5 minute audio file.

To ensure equity and fairness in the recruitment process, we will anonymise your application before forwarding it to the hiring managers for shortlisting. Anonymity is automatically processed through the external application portal, so we will replicate this. 

If you have any other questions regarding access requirements through the application process please email access@ica.art

Interview process

Some of our offices have barriers to access, more information about this can be found on our Accessibility page. We endeavour to make reasonable adjustments wherever possible for potential candidates and staff. If you would like to talk to us about accessibility or reasonable adjustments prior to applying for a job with us, you can contact access@ica.art

Information and privacy

Please note that we do not accept or store CVs on a speculative basis – we only accept applications for roles that we are advertising but will respond to all applications and queries. The HR team anonymise applications during the shortlisting process.

Please read our privacy policy before you apply for any of our vacancies to understand how we store and use the personal data you submit with your application.

Equal opportunities

The Institute of Contemporary Arts is committed to upholding the Equality Act 2010 and encouraging equality and diversity within our workforce and all opportunities provided by the ICA.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and we are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities. Whilst some of our offices have barriers to access, we are taking steps to resolve these, and in the meantime continue to encourage interest from applicants who require reasonable adjustments within the workplace.

Mission and Vision Statement

The ICA is London’s home for bold, boundary-pushing creativity. We commission, produce, and present contemporary art, film, music, performance, and ideas that challenge perceptions and inspire social change. In a time of rapid transformation, we provide a space for experimentation, dialogue, and discovery – connecting the curious and the courageous, emerging and established artists, and communities across London, the UK, and beyond.    

Mission:

To champion the daring and the curious – supporting artists and ideas that challenge perceptions, spark dialogue, and connect with diverse audiences across London, the UK, and beyond. 

  

Vision:

To be a fearless, future-facing cultural force – amplifying bold creativity, fostering unexpected connections, and reshaping the boundaries of contemporary culture. 

Guiding Principles:

• Openness: A free-thinking space where all voices are welcomed, and any idea can be explored.
• Innovation: Championing experimentation and embracing technology to shape the future of arts and culture.
• Community: Prioritising inclusivity, collaboration, and meaningful engagement with artists and audiences alike.
• Integrity: Staying true to our mission while remaining accessible and relevant to the masses. 
• Boldness: Fearlessly leading the way in contemporary culture and creativity. 

The ICA platforms the daring and the curious, supporting artists and ideas that challenge perceptions, inspire social change, and connect with diverse audiences locally and globally. As a space for bold, boundary-pushing creativity, we cultivate connections across disciplines, communities, and cultures. Our cross-disciplinary programming invites audiences to explore beyond the boundaries of individual art forms, fostering experimentation and the discovery of new perspectives. Open to all voices and ideas, we embrace interplay and interaction across club nights, film festivals, gigs, exhibitions, talks, and digital art. With inclusivity and collaboration at the heart of our work, we remain fearless in shaping contemporary creativity, connecting diverse voices, and making unexpected connections that define the future of arts and culture.


Our history of presenting and promoting visionary new art is unrivalled in London: from Kenneth Anger to Kathy Acker, Kano to Klein, Jackson Pollock to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gay Sweatshop to Forensic Architecture, David Bowie to Stormzy, Pop Art to queer techno. Today, as ever, our inclusive programme reflects and represents who we are as a disparate and diverse collection of cultures and identities.


Exactly 78 years after a group of artists and poets founded the ICA as an alternative to the mainstream, we are committed more than ever to paving the way for the next generation and to platforming creative voices. The ICA continues to celebrate risk and champion innovation and experimentation across the arts – a playground and a home for today’s most vital artists.


We strive to create and maintain an ICA that is a positive environment where the similarities and differences of people are valued – a space where everyone belongs and feels welcome. We hold ourselves accountable through our regularly reviewed Anti-Racism Strategic Plan, Equality and Diversity Policy and Action Plan, and Safety Policy.


Since its inception, the ICA has been the home of future-thinking ideas and urgent cultural discourse. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment that encourages dialogue and debate, recognising that differing viewpoints are essential to the advancement of contemporary arts and culture.


The ICA is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to chairrecruitment@ica.art. The closing date for applications is June 19th 2025.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact roula.carroll@ica.art.



Chair Recruitment Pack

Organisational Governance