Barbican Centre: the brutalist landmark weaving art into everyday London life.
For many people, the Barbican is a place to visit, to catch a show, enjoy some food or just hang out.
For others, like Jo Davis (Head of Retail) and Oluwatoyin Odunsi (Senior Producer for Learning & Participation), it’s a place of work – as seen in the video below.
And for a fortunate few, like the Barbican’s Head of Visual Arts, Shanay Jhaveri, it is both home and workplace. At a recent visit, I met Shanay to talk about what that experience is like.
“The original vision for the Barbican Centre was to embed the arts into everyday life – not as something separate, but as something lived alongside it.” he says. “I feel lucky that I not only work here, but live here too, so this idea comes into focus every day.”
Bringing brutalism to life
As leader of the Visual Arts team, part of Shanay’s role centres on bringing the Barbican’s vast, brutalist architecture to life through art.
“That means thinking not only about what happens inside our exhibition spaces, but how art moves around the whole centre – into the public realm, into shared areas, and into the everyday experience of the people who spend time here,” he explains.
In the three years since he joined, Shanay’s sense of appreciation for working at the Centre has never faded. Every day brings him encounters with extraordinary artists, colleagues and partners, from across artforms and around the world, which he describes as ‘endlessly enriching, and never static.’
A typical day reflects that variety. A morning may begin in quiet contemplation before an exhibition opens, considering how audiences might encounter works by artists such as Alberto Giacometti or Beatriz González. Later, he could be in conversation with a colleague exploring ideas for how the Barbican can continue to create meaning in people’s lives.
The Barbican as public space
What has increasingly defined Shanay’s connection to the Centre is what happens outside the traditional gallery spaces.
“Living on the estate, I experience the Barbican not just as a workplace, but somewhere people gather, pause and connect,” he says, “You see knitting groups meeting, children on school visits, people finding corners to sit, talk or simply be. The centre is much more than a venue – it is a shared environment shaped by its community and open to all.”
Architecture and the everyday
The iconic estate offers spaces that invite different kinds of interaction – from the lakeside to the high walks and foyers.
“There are moments in the day – taking a call by the water, or having a coffee with a colleague in the sun – where the boundaries between work, culture and daily life seem to drop away,” he says, “those moments matter and they should be available to everyone.”
A programme of renewal
As the Barbican undergoes its ongoing programme of renewal, improving access and inclusivity remains a shared priority. The Centre continues to work closely with partners across Canada’s cultural quarter, including the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London Metropolitan Archives and the soon to reopen London Museum, to ensure that more people feel connected to this remarkable place.
And there is always something new to discover (What’s on | Barbican).
Right now, visitors can explore a stunning free‑to‑access solo exhibition by artist Julia Phillips in The Curve, a gallery known for site‑specific installations that wrap around the heart of the building.
An open invitation
For anyone seeking a change of scene, whether you are a remote worker, student or city wanderers, the Barbican offers an open invitation. The Barbican Library, cafés and other public spaces provide free Wi‑Fi, making them ideal spots to study, work, read or relax between visits to exhibitions and performances.
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