Gasworks Appoints Robert Leckie as New Director

Gasworks, a key player in London’s art scene and a member of the Triangle Network, has just made an exciting announcement: Robert Leckie will take the helm as its new director. Leckie’s appointment marks a return to Gasworks, where he previously served as curator and head of programs from 2011 to 2018. Currently, he is finishing his tenure as the director of Spike Island in Bristol.

As Gasworks gears up to celebrate its 30th anniversary in March 2024, Leckie’s arrival is perfectly timed. The organization, which began as an artist-run space in 1994, is renowned for its commitment to artist residencies and exhibitions. Leckie expressed his excitement about returning to Gasworks, acknowledging the organization’s importance and his personal connection to it. He praised the efforts of outgoing Director Alessio Antoniolli and expressed a desire to continue building Gasworks as a hub for artistic and cultural exchange.

Leckie joined Spike Island in 2018 and was previously Curator and Head of Programmes at Gasworks from 2011 to 2018. During his tenure at Spike Island, Leckie has overseen many key developments for the organisation, including leading a critically acclaimed artistic programme and cementing Spike Island’s commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion by building an increasingly diverse staff team and Board of Trustees. Leckie has also contributed to the development of the South West’s visual arts sector more widely by leading the West of England Visual Arts Alliance consortium, which has enabled new commissioning, fellowship and bursary opportunities for early career artists from underrepresented backgrounds.

Robert Leckie said: 

“It has been an honour to lead Spike Island over the past five years. I am very proud of all that my colleagues and I have achieved during this time. The organisation is currently thriving, with a dedicated team and Board, a unique business model, a great programme, and a wonderful community. Together we have managed to shift the dial on Spike Island’s role and reputation. Thanks to a critically-acclaimed artistic programme, we have increased our audiences by forty percent, while leading the West of England Visual Arts Alliance consortium has enabled us to enhance our impact throughout the West of England region. I am confident that the organisation has a bright future ahead.”