Michael Francis Lynch (born 1950) is an Australian arts administrator.

Biography

Lynch was General Manager of the Sydney Theatre Company 1989–94. He was then General Manager of the

Australia Council Creative Australia, formerly known as the Australia Council for the Arts and the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announ ...

, the Federal Government's arts funding and advisory body, 1994–98. In 1998 he became director of the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

, and from 2002 to 2009 he was chief executive of the

South Bank Centre Southbank Centre is an arts centre in London, England. It is adjacent to the separately owned National Theatre and BFI Southbank. It comprises the three main performance spaces – the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Purcell Ro ...

in London. Lynch has overseen the successful rehabilitation of the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...

, which was re-opened in October 2007 by The Queen (

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...

having opened the original building in 1951). In March 2009, Lynch was appointed a director of the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

. He is also a member of the Board of

Film Victoria VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government's creative and economic screen development agency. It supports screen industry professionals, infrastructure, projects and events, promoting the state of Victoria as ...

. On 27 May 2011, Lynch was appointed as CEO of

West Kowloon Cultural District The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD, ) is a large arts development in Hong Kong. Designed and planned by Foster and Partners, the district comprises with 17 venues. Major establishments include Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera, the Freespa ...

Authority by the Hong Kong Government.

Honours

Lynch was appointed a Member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2001 for services to arts administration (principally as General Manager of the

) and in 2008 he was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in the Birthday Honours. In the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2017, Lynch was appointed an Officer of the

(AO).

References

Australian arts administrators Arts managers Culture in London Living people Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Officers of the Order of Australia Australian expatriates in Hong Kong 1950 births Helpmann Award winners {{Australia-bio-stub