High-profile stars including the actors Mark Ruffalo, Nicola Coughlan, Susan Sarandon and Aimee Lou Wood are among those who have signed a letter in support of the Southbank Centre’s chairman of governors, who is facing calls to step down.
Misan Harriman has been chairman of the board of governors at the London arts centre since 2021, and is described as an “outspoken activist” and a “photographer, creative director and cultural commentator”, on its website.
A letter to The Times on Monday claims his “divisive” social media posts are pushing a divisive political agenda and are “hugely damaging to the reputation of the Southbank Centre”.
The letter, which is signed by a former trustee of the Southbank Centre among others, reads: “Harriman’s tenure since 2021 risks undermining an important British institution that received £18 million from the Government last year.
“Rather than promoting the Southbank, Harriman makes daily interventions on social media, pushing a divisive political agenda.”
Harriman’s posts to his more 540,000 followers on Instagram, “offend Charity Commission guidance for trustees of charities”, the letter adds.
“Harriman’s appointment was a misstep by an institution that requires serious leadership. It is time for him to go.”
The letter has been signed by former Southbank Centre trustee David Kershaw, former BBC director of television Danny Cohen, author and historian Lord Roberts of Belgravia, and TV and film producers Leo Pearlman and Neil Blair.
The counter-letter claims that “rightwing newspapers are trying to run a smear campaign” against Harriman, and has been signed by more than 21,000 people, including big names from the worlds of acting, arts and music.
Other high-profile stars to have signed the “handraiser” include broadcasters Gary Lineker, Laura Whitmore and Louis Theroux, musicians Annie Lennox and Hozier, actors Brian Cox, Hugh Bonneville, Eddie Marsan, and artist Dame Tracey Emin.
A statement from the Southbank Centre said all of its board members have the “right to exercise their freedom of expression within the law”.
An accompanying article in The Times refers to a social media post from Harriman, which “appeared to suggest there was a newspaper ‘conspiracy’ to make the Golders Green knife attacks last month entirely about the Jewish victims and not about the Muslim man allegedly stabbed by the same person earlier that day”.
Harriman was born in Nigeria and eucated in England “where he developed a life-long love for the arts,” according to the Southbank Centre.
“Harriman is an outspoken activist supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” the profile adds.
“From documenting historic moments in history, most recently the Black Lives Matter movement in London, to photographing high-profile celebrities, Harriman is a photographer of extraordinary range,” it said.
A spokesman for the Southbank Centre said on Monday: “The Southbank Centre is an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone including our artists, audience and all colleagues.
“The Southbank Centre condemns all forms of antisemitism, hatred and discrimination.
“All Southbank Centre board members, including the chair, have the right to exercise their freedom of expression within the law.
“The personal views of individual members of our board do not represent the views of the Southbank Centre and in no way affect our programming nor the welcome that we extend to all.”
