Michael Garvey is an experienced leader across the arts and cultural sectors. He has run a number of orchestras in the UK, including the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales and the Academy of Ancient Music and managed not for profit organisations, as well as having been a member of the BBC’s executive team in Wales. As a freelance consultant, Michael was the first Executive Director of the Benedetti Foundation as well as a founding member of the Cardiff Music Board where he continues to focus his attention on the role that music education can play for the city, together with nurturing next generation musicians anddeveloping pathways for their growth either as happy amateurs or into the music profession.
Michael provides business consultancy and strategic planning to the cultural sector – he is currently helping BBC Radio 3 relocate part of its activity to Manchester and the BBC Concert Orchestra to a new home in the Midlands. Previously he has managed the birth of the Bath Festival Orchestra and was interim Chief Executive of English Touring Opera overseeing the smooth transition to a new General Director in the Summer of ‘22 as well as managing the Arts Council England application process which saw ETO receive a 22% uplift in its national portfolio funding.
Michael is also a trained executive coach, accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. He brings a coaching approach to all of his work, driven by a strong belief that your best course of action is the one that you develop yourself. Given his background in the arts and third sectors, he has a deep empathy and knowledge in this area. His clients, though, come from a range of backgrounds and he’s just as happy working with people from the creative, media, broadcasting and other sectors.