Louise Govier (She/Her)

Chief Executive

Louise joined Artswork in 2020 during lockdown, and quickly became an expert in video-conferencing! She began her career with The Art Fund then taught in Higher Education, gaining a PhD in Art History. Wanting to connect with a wider range of people, Louise joined the learning team at the National Gallery, working with all ages of participant including schools and teachers before becoming Head of Adult Learning. Undertaking a Clore Leadership Fellowship enabled her to develop new skills and to research and write on ‘leaders in co-creation’.

At the National Trust, Louise led a portfolio of properties in South West Hampshire, including Mottisfont Abbey and countryside across the New Forest. She and her team developed arts and family programmes which tripled visitor numbers to Mottisfont, enabling significant investment in conservation, engagement and collaboration with partners regionally and nationally.

Louise loves making things, playing the flute and singing, and is part of several local choirs and community music initiatives. She’s also a Trustee of La Folia, a music charity which brings together musicians, children and young people to make new music and change lives.

Favourite book: ‘Bel Canto’ by Ann Patchett

Favourite painting: Rembrandt’s ‘Woman Bathing in a Stream’ in the National Gallery. Louise would also have room in her house for Thomas Jones’ beautiful little study of crumbling Mediterranean plasterwork: ‘A Wall in Naples’.

Favourite singing experience: being part of ‘Push’, an opera based on the true story of Simon Gronowski, who was pushed by his mum from a train headed for Auschwitz, surviving to tell a story of peace and forgiveness. “I sang in this with my own daughter, who was the same age Simon was when his mum saved him. It was incredibly emotional, particularly when we met Simon (now an old man), who gave us a massive bear hug.”

Environmental pledge: To make the most of the opportunities to help the environment that Covid-19 has given us, including commuting far less and using video-conferencing to avoid travel to meetings.