Rebecca Bailey

Rebecca M Bailey is Programme Director of the research and development programme Towards a National Collection, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The programme seeks to break down the barriers that exist between the UK’s outstanding digital cultural heritage collections and open them up to new research opportunities and encourage the public to explore them in new ways.

The current focus for Towards a National Collection is delivering targeted early-stage activities to inform potential large-scale investment in a National Research Infrastructure for Cultural Heritage (N-RICH). Rebecca is assigned to the programme full time for seven years (2020-27) by Historic Environment Scotland, where she has worked since 2004. Her most recent role was Head of Exhibitions and Outreach, and she previously led work in education, publishing, research, community engagement and fundraising.

She also works outside the UK, including delivering two substantial exhibitions and an audience research project at Nanjing Museum in China and, from 2014-24, as President of the International Confederation of Architectural Museums, and an Advisory Council member of the International Council of Museums.