Ollerhead joins the organisation from the DCMS, where she has played a prominent role in many flagship initiatives as head of museums policy since 2016.

With a hand in the design and delivery of both the Culture Recovery Fund and Museum Estates and Development Fund, the new AIM director is all too aware of the challenges facing the nation’s independent museums.

AIM chair Andrew Lovett says the appointment comes at a “pivotal moment for our members and our sector”, adding that Ollerhead’s “considerable expertise, achievements and networks will further strengthen AIM in a period when the support we offer our members has perhaps never been more important”.

Lovett also wished to place on record his appreciation for the work of outgoing director Emma Chaplin, who he says leaves AIM “extremely well placed to manage future challenges and opportunities”.

While noting that she is “thrilled to take up this role” despite the “challenging times”, Ollerhead states that “AIM’s relentless focus on possibility and the resilience of the sector gives me great hope for the future.”

Independent museums, she adds, “will be at the forefront of helping communities and individuals recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing visitors back to high streets, town centres, and rural areas all around the country”.

The new director will officially begin her role on 31st May 2021.

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