Our Patrons

Celebrating the people who champion inclusive creativity across Central Scotland.

Bryan Beattie

Patron from 2025

We are delighted to welcome Bryan Beattie as our newest Patron. Bryan is the founder and director of Creative Services Scotland, the country’s longest-established specialist cultural consultancy, and Big Sky, its production and publishing arm.

He has delivered cultural strategies and creative projects across Scotland, including work with Scene Stirling to shape the city’s cultural vision. Bryan co-authored the influential Arts and Cultural Assets report (British Council / Creative Scotland, 2022) and is completing a professional doctorate on cultural rights at Queen Margaret University.

“Bryan’s expertise in cultural policy, inclusive practice, and creative place-making will help guide and amplify our work in the years ahead.”

Bryan takes on the role from Julia Donaldson, whose extraordinary 19 years of patronage have left a lasting legacy.

Julia Donaldson

Patron 2006 – 2025

Julia Donaldson has been an extraordinary champion of Artlink Central since 2006 — not only lending her name, but bringing her creativity, networks, and energy directly into our work.

Highlights of Julia’s Patronage:

  • 2011 — Curated The Illustrators, an exhibition at The Park Gallery (Callendar House) featuring original works by illustrators of her books, including Axel Scheffler and Lydia Monks.

  • 2017 — Performed Story Safari at Blair Drummond Safari Park, raising funds for our inclusive arts projects and delighting audiences with live storytelling and song.

  • Family contributions — Julia’s patronage was often a family affair. Her late husband Malcolm Donaldson, an accomplished musician and composer, frequently performed alongside her, filling community spaces, schools, and hospitals with music, laughter, and storytelling.

“Julia’s generosity of spirit — and the creative magic she and Malcolm shared — touched thousands of people across Central Scotland.”

In 2025, Julia handed over the role of Patron to Bryan Beattie, leaving an enduring mark on our organisation and the communities we serve.

Dame Evelyn Glennie

Patron in the Early Years

One of Artlink Central’s earliest Patrons, Dame Evelyn Glennie is a world-renowned percussionist celebrated for her artistry and advocacy for inclusion in the arts. Her early support helped raise the visibility of Artlink Central across Scotland’s cultural landscape and strengthened our foundation for future growth.

Why Our Patrons Matter

Our Patrons — past and present — represent different eras of Artlink Central’s story, but they share a belief in the power of the arts to connect people, spark creativity, and transform communities.

Profile view of an older man with gray hair and glasses, sitting indoors near a window, smiling.
A woman with mouse ears and a man in a fox costume talk inside a tent.
A woman with red hair playing a set of tubular bells on a stage, smiling, with a microphone in her hand, wearing a red sequined top and black pants, barefoot.