Muriel Gray to quit as art school chief 3 years after it burned down for second time
SHE headed one of Scotland’s most famous art schools during some of its darkest years.
Now Muriel Gray has announced she is to stand down as chairman of Glasgow School of Art (GSA) amid the fallout of two fires that destroyed its world-renowned Mackintosh Building.
She has held the role for eight years, although she stepped down temporarily due to personal reasons in 2019.
During her tenure bosses at the school have faced fierce criticism over their management of GSA and the building, which has been a city landmark since its completion in 1909.
‘Concerned by lack of transparency’
Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, it was extensively damaged by a blaze in June 2018 while undergoing a £35million restoration following a previous fire in May 2014.
The 2018 fire led to nearby buildings being evacuated.
Revealing her decision, Miss Gray said yesterday it had been ‘the greatest honour’ to help with governing the institution but it was time for a ‘fresh, energetic and long-term committed person’ to take over.
She will stand down as chairman of the board of governors at the end of the month. In 2019, bosses at the school were accused of failing to do enough to safeguard the Mackintosh Building.
The scathing report by Holyrood’s culture committee also criticised the board for causing a ‘loss of trust’ among residents and businesses whose premises were affected.
Members were accused of failing to address heightened fire risks. The report said the committee was ‘concerned by the lack of transparency regarding what specific measures were taken as a result of the reviews implemented following the 2014 fire’. Dozens of staff resignations followed the two fires. Politicians previously questioned £800,000 of payoffs sanctioned by the school, which was given millions of pounds of public money after the first fire. The criticism came after it emerged 40 staff resigned, 30 were made redundant and six signed confidentiality agreements in the year after the second fire.
A GSA spokesman said yesterday: ‘Muriel has been a committed and enthusiastic chair and a staunch advocate for the value of creative education.’