Gus Casely-Hayford

Director

V&A East

Speaker Biography

Gus Casely-Hayford is a prominent British curator, historian, and cultural critic with a focus on African art and culture. He has held several prestigious positions throughout his career, including Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. and the first director of V&A East in London. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in June 2018 for his services to Arts and Culture, and was later appointed Professor of Practice at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2021, where he had previously achieved his PhD in African History.

One of Gus’s most acclaimed projects is the BBC series Lost Kingdoms of Africa which explores the history of pre-colonial African civilizations. The series, which he also authored a companion book for, was originally commissioned as part of the “Wonderful Africa Season” on BBC Four. He has also presented Tate Britain’s Great Art Walks for Sky Arts.

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