The Barn in Banchory is delighted to announce the appointment of Giulia Montalbano and Adam Pushkin as its new Co-Directors. The pair started their joint roles at the end of October, leading the organisation into an exciting new phase focused on creativity, community and collaboration across Deeside and beyond.
Giulia Montalbano is a creative practitioner, choreographer and arts leader with over two decades of experience spanning performance, education and community development both in the UK and internationally. She has worked with organisations including the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Macrobert Arts Centre and NHS Tayside.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Barn at such an inspiring moment in its journey,” said Giulia. “This role brings together my passions for creativity, collaboration and community. I’m excited to develop projects that are inclusive, imaginative and rooted in the spirit of togetherness.”
Adam Pushkin brings 25 years of experience in the arts, including leading festivals and major international programmes. He previously headed the British Council’s arts work in India and Indonesia, co-founding a number of initiatives such as Indonesia’s first-ever disability arts festival.
“I’m incredibly excited to be taking on this role,” said Adam. “The Barn has been a huge part of my life since I moved to Banchory two years ago, so it’s an enormous privilege to be given the opportunity to lead the organisation with Giulia. I love bringing people together to create amazing, memorable experiences — and I can’t wait to start working with the brilliant team at the Barn and the communities of Deeside to do just that.”
For more than 30 years, the Barn has been a leading arts organisation championing environmental awareness and creative engagement. It has built a reputation for supporting artists and thinkers who explore the relationship between people, place and planet, while offering a diverse year-round programme of film, theatre, music, dance and creative workshops. The venue also serves as a distinctive and much-loved space for weddings and community events.
The Barn is a recipient of Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding (2025–2028), which will support its next phase of growth. A key focus for Giulia and Adam will be delivering this vision over the next three years, including The Far Orchard Project—a reimagining of the traditional apple orchard through tree planting across the Banchory area—and the transformation of the Barn’s Walled Garden into a thriving, community-focused space celebrating rural heritage, ecology and creative learning.
