Will Gompertz

Will Gompertz is Director of the Sir John Soane's Museum and author of international bestsellers including What Are You Looking At? and Think Like an Artist, recognised as one of the world's top 50 creative thinkers. As former BBC Arts Editor for 11 years and Artistic Director of the Barbican Centre, he interviewed cultural icons from Mick Jagger to Meryl Streep whilst shaping the national conversation around arts and culture. His engaging keynotes unlock creative thinking and perceptual awareness, equipping audiences with practical tools to enhance innovation, productivity and problem-solving across professional and personal life.

When Will Gompertz took a Rembrandt masterpiece and a one-man comedy show about modern art to opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, he proved that accessibility and rigour need not be enemies. Now Director of the Sir John Soane's Museum, he has built a career dismantling the barriers between high art and public understanding, whether interviewing Mick Jagger and Meryl Streep as the BBC's Arts Editor for over a decade, or leading the artistic vision at the Barbican Centre through its post-pandemic renewal. His international bestseller What Are You Looking At? became a landmark in art history writing precisely because it refused to patronise or mystify, whilst his sold-out Edinburgh Festival performance demonstrated that scholarship and entertainment could occupy the same stage.

Gompertz's credibility rests on an unusual combination of institutional leadership and public communication. As a former Director at Tate Gallery, he shaped curatorial strategy at one of the world's leading art institutions. During his time as BBC Arts Editor, he reported on major exhibitions, cultural policy, and the evolving role of the arts in society, making complex artistic movements comprehensible without dilution. His appointment as Artistic Director at the Barbican came at a pivotal moment, tasked with reimagining the venue's commitment to arts without boundaries during its 40th anniversary and major renewal project. Recognised by New York's Creativity Magazine as one of the world's top 50 creative thinkers, he has contributed extensively to The Times and The Guardian, consistently translating artistic insight into practical wisdom. His books, including Think Like an Artist and See What You're Missing, distil lessons from artists across history into frameworks that enhance creative thinking and perceptual awareness in everyday contexts.

Gompertz equips audiences with tangible methods to unlock creativity and sharpen observation in professional and personal life. Through his keynotes, he demonstrates how artistic principles apply directly to innovation, problem-solving, and productivity, drawing on examples from Hasegawa Tohaku to David Hockney to illustrate how artists perceive the world differently. Audiences leave with actionable tools derived from centuries of creative practice, understanding not just what artists see but how they think. His approach transforms abstract aesthetic concepts into practical strategies for organisations seeking to foster imaginative thinking, making him invaluable for events focused on leadership, innovation, and cultural insight. By showing how to look beyond surface appearances and embrace creative risk, he helps audiences develop the heightened awareness that fuels both artistic excellence and commercial success.