Skinder Hundal MBE is a distinguished UK cultural leader with a 30-year track record of championing diversity and innovation across the arts, culture, and creative industries instigating multi-million pound budgets and partnerships. As Director of Arts at the British Council from 2020 to 2024, Hundal led global arts programmes spanning over 200 countries and territories, overseeing major initiatives in architecture, design, film, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts. His leadership was instrumental in delivering high-profile international cultural exchanges, including the Golden Lion-winning UK Pavilion at the Venice Biennale with Sonia Boyce, and bilateral festival seasons with countries such as Australia, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Brazil, and Kenya.
Prior to this he served for 12 years as CEO and Director of New Art Exchange in Nottingham, where he forged pioneering collaborations with TED Global and Google Cultural Institute, and established NAE as a leading incubator for visual arts and hundreds of creative enterprise in the UK. He spearheaded landmark projects like Real Creative Futures, African Soldier, and “Here, There & Everywhere,” supporting hundreds of creative enterprises and artists. Hundal also led the first Midlands collateral pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale, further cementing his reputation as a visionary advocate for cultural exchange and sector growth.
In his formative years Skinder started as a volunteer supporting Nottingham Mela, part of several tabla and music circles. He led as the Operations and Special Projects Director at Sampad in Birmingham bringing in significant audience development partnerships with major institutions such as Symphony Hall and Birmingham REP, also designing and producing national cultural leadership programmes.
Recognised with an MBE in 2019 for his contributions to visual arts, Hundal currently chairs the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Cultural Leadership Board and is a Strategic Associate of the World Cities Culture Forum, working closely with the Deputy Mayor for Culture in London. He continues to serve as a trustee, strategist, advisor, and mentor to numerous arts organisations, and holds key appointments including Board Director at a-n (Artist News), Commissioner for the British Pavilion at Venice Biennale (2020-2024), and Arts Associate at the Value AI Institute in Davos.
