LONDON.- Alison Cole, currently Director of Communications at Southbank Centre, has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Communications at Arts Council England. She will join the organisation on 23 November 2009.

Alison will be responsible for the Arts Council’s strategic communications and campaigns. She will lead a national team with responsibility for media relations, public affairs, marketing, online and print publishing and internal communications.

As part of the Arts Council’s Executive Board, Alison will report directly to Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England.

Speaking of the appointment, Alan Davey said: “I am very excited to appoint a person of such high calibre from within the arts sector to this key role in the Arts Council.

“Alison has a wealth of experience in communications in the arts and I am looking forward to working closely with her as we move through the challenge of recession and look ahead to the next comprehensive spending review, the London 2012 Olympics and beyond.”

Alison Cole said: “I am delighted to be joining the new team at this exciting time and look forward to working closely with Alan Davey and Liz Forgan in helping shape the future strategic direction of the organisation.

“I have spent my whole career in the arts and know how vitally important a strong and dynamic Arts Council is to the sector and to the nation as a whole. This is a logical step for me as I have always believed passionately that excellence in the arts should be shared by all."

Alison has been Director of Communications at Southbank Centre since 2005, where she helped lead the organisation through the refurbishment and re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall. She was previously Director of Communications at the Art Fund, where she spearheaded the four-year campaign that led to the introduction of free admission across the UK’s national museums and galleries.

Alison is also the author of several art history books, including Art of the Italian Renaissance Courts.