New director appointed to Glasgow School of Art

GLASGOW School of Art has appointed a senior official from Dundee University to be its new director.

Tom Inns, the current dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, will succeed Seona Reid, who is stepping down after 14 years in the post, in the autumn.

He is also currently director of research in art, science & engineering at the university, as well as professor of design.

Professor Inns is a graduate of both Bristol University and the Royal College of Art, as well as a co-founder of Brunel University’s design research centre.

He said: “Glasgow School of Art has its own very particular history and provenance, a very distinctive portfolio of activity and all set within a dynamic, spirited city.

“The role of director will be highly challenging, but enormously rewarding. I’m excited by the opportunity to lead Scotland’s only specialist higher education institution for the visual creative disciplines, build on its current international reputation and unlock its future potential.”

Philip Rodney, chair of the art school’s board of governors, said: “The appointment of Tom has been an extensive and thorough process which attracted a very strong field of national and international candidates.

“Tom’s calibre and clarity of ambition for the future means he is ideally placed to lead us in the next and important stage of its development and successfully build on our achievements in recent years.

“I am delighted that we have found an outstanding successor to Seona Reid. Seona has made an immeasurable contribution as director of the GSA.

“The current standing of the art school globally is testimony to that. Building on that platform, I believe that Tom Inns’ appointment heralds another equally exciting chapter in the GSA’s development.”