Goldsmiths’ Centre appoints Julia Balchin as interim director
The Goldsmiths’ Centre has named Julia Balchin as its interim director, together with her time period starting in March 2026.
Balchin joins the organisation from the Royal Drawing Faculty, the place she served as principal and oversaw the charity’s growth.
Throughout a 15-year tenure on the Prince’s Charities, Balchin labored on skills-based arts training and craft preservation.
On the Royal Drawing Faculty, she presided over a 60% enhance in property over 5 years, securing greater than £15m in donations and rising industrial earnings by 68%.
Balchin succeeds Peter Taylor, who’s departing after 37 years with the Goldsmiths’ Centre and the Goldsmiths’ Firm.
Taylor is credited with establishing the centre’s present coaching {and professional} growth framework for jewellers and silversmiths.
The centre offers technical instructing alongside enterprise start-up assist and reasonably priced workshops.
Administration acknowledged that Balchin’s expertise within the arts and training sectors would assist the subsequent part of the charity’s vocational coaching programmes.
Balchin stated: “I’m honoured to take up the position – Peter leaves an indelible legacy – the work of the Goldsmiths’ Centre has been transformational for therefore many younger silversmiths and jewellers, who’re the way forward for the commerce. What’s most inspiring on the Goldsmiths’ Centre is the understanding that nurturing and coaching the subsequent technology requires a lot greater than instructing alone – skilled growth, reasonably priced workshops, employment or enterprise startup assist are of equal significance for achievement in at present’s world.”
Annie Warburton, chief government and clerk of the Goldsmiths’ Firm, added: “The extremely specialised abilities required in our trade take years to grasp. They’re constructed upon equally specialised coaching. Below Peter Taylor’s management, the Goldsmiths’ Centre has reworked how we nurture the subsequent technology of jewellers and silversmiths, guaranteeing these very important abilities endure.”
