Jane Spiers, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts, has been awarded an honorary fellowship by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) for her outstanding contribution to the arts and architecture.
The honorary fellowship was bestowed at the annual dinner of the Aberdeen Chapter of RIAS on Friday by president Stewart Henderson.
The honorary fellowship recognises her inspirational leadership, vision and ambition, citing the many awards secured for artistic and business leadership including a Scottish Thistle Award for Business Leadership while at Horsecross Arts and most recently at Aberdeen Performing Arts, a Best Festival finalist for True North in the upcoming National Thistle Awards in March this year.
The fellowship is also in recognition of Jane’s exceptional contribution to the cultural infrastructure in Scotland, her bold artistic vision and her leadership of four capital projects in Scotland - three major restoration and renovation projects - the Stirling Tolbooth, Perth Theatre and Aberdeen Music Hall and the new build Perth Concert Hall, which launched in 2005 with a critically acclaimed opening season.
Brian Moore, who ran RIAS Consultancy for 20 years, said: “Jane’s nomination for honorary fellowship of the RIAS is in recognition of her exceptional ability to assume the role of informed project champion for complex projects whilst maintaining her ‘day job’ responsibilities. She has overcome the many challenges that capital projects inevitably present with exceptional ability and humour. A great combination for success. She has been a pleasure to work with over many years.”
The Stirling Tolbooth, designed by Richard Murphy Architects, was the first project Jane led and it went on to win the Crown Estates Conservation Award for the best work of conservation and restoration of an architecturally significant building in the UK. Jane led the fundraising campaign, managed the project through the design development and construction phase and saw the project through the launch and opening season.
Two of the schemes, Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre were in Jane’s home town. Jane was the first chief executive of Horsecross Arts and was in the role for nine years, leading the Horsecross team through the concert hall construction project and the successful launch of the new hall in 2005 to critical acclaim with an ambitious programme of work. During that same time, she secured funding for Perth Theatre as a producing house when its future was in doubt. With the successful launch of Perth Concert Hall under her belt, she went on to lead the architectural competition for the redevelopment of Perth Theatre to appoint Richard Murphy Architects, raising in excess of £10m towards the project and appointing Rachel O’ Riordan in the role of artistic director before she left to take up her CEO role in Aberdeen.
All four projects have been part of a bigger vision to regenerate cities and communities through the arts.
Jane said: “I’ve always believed that an investment in arts and culture is an investment in people, communities and cities and that’s what’s driven every project I’ve been involved in. A capital project is like a theatre production - you need a great script, you have to get it from the page to the stage with a talented and creative team of people around you, and you’re always thinking about your audience - the people who will interact with it, enjoy it and give it a purpose.”
Jane is now leading the landmark renovation of Aberdeen’s much-loved, historic Music Hall.
She said: “The Music Hall is an absolute national treasure and I fell in love with it the first time I stepped in. I was determined to do much more than just watch over it - I wanted to secure its place at the heart of cultural and community life in the North-east for generations to come.”
The multi-million pound Music Hall Transformation is on track for completion at the end of this year. To date 78% of the £8.7m fundraising target has been met. Work to expand the basement has been completed, freeing up space on the ground floor for ambitious plans to create a new performance studio, creative learning studio, foyer, café bar and improved access.