Jillian Barker, Director of Learning and Participation, Royal Ballet and Opera (London, U.K.)

Working at the intersection of artistic excellence and social impact, Jillian Barker is a committed advocate for widening access to the arts and inspiring creativity in young people. As a purpose-driven senior leader, she has led transformative change in organisations of international significance, founding Barbican Education and directing large-scale programmes at The National Gallery and, most recently, the Royal Ballet and Opera. In her role as Director of Learning and Participation, she leads flagship creative learning programmes and festivals that grow creativity through ballet and opera, reaching 250,000 people last year. As a sector leader, Jillian brings a deep understanding of performing and visual arts funding and policy and actively works with local and national government to close the arts participation gap. Jillian is a dedicated learner, having completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Certificate in Public Leadership (2024). She also serves on the Boards of Aurora Orchestra and the New Music Biennial.

Bridging a Divided Nation Through Creativity: The Social Impact of the Royal Ballet and Opera in Bradford

“Divided Britain!” the headlines say. The contrast between the Royal Ballet and Opera’s beautiful Covent Garden home, with its plush velvet curtains and pillared portico, and the streets of post-industrial Bradford could not be more stark. Bradford has 33% of children living in poverty and some of the highest levels of diversity in the UK.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is committed to exploring the intersection of artistic excellence and social impact. So the questions were clear: How could we have meaningful impact? How could we bridge these contrasting worlds? And how can ballet and opera unlock the creativity of young people in Bradford?

These questions shaped our three-year intervention as Bradford became UK City of Culture. It was never about parachuting in: it was about listening, learning, and building collaborative relationships that could underpin real change.

We worked with 45 schools, private dance schools, and 2,500 young people and their teachers. To ensure we understood the impact, we commissioned internationally renowned researchers from Born in Bradford, run by the National Health Service, to examine it.

They found that, in a world where children face growing challenges to their mental health, physical well-being, and social development, this project shows “what is possible when we embed creativity into education: from enhanced learning to confidence and joyful participation.”

The project culminated in “Sing, Dance, Leap”: a mass-participation performance about young people’s hopes and dreams, created with 2,500 children alongside artists from Opera North, Northern Ballet, and the Royal Ballet and Opera. It was a powerful moment in which children and professional artists sang:

“It’s a leap into the future, a leap into the dark… It’s a moment, it’s a second, it’s an idea… it’s a spark, spark, spark!”