Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, the new Chair of the Museums Libraries and Archives Council. Photo © Adrian Mealing

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has announced that the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion has been appointed as the new Chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Professor Motion will take up his new position on July 3 2008 for a period of four years.

Motion has been Poet Laureate for the past 9 years and was previously a Member of Arts Council England (ACE) and Chair of the ACE Literature Panel, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

"I am thrilled that Andrew has agreed to take up this position of Chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council," said Andy Burnham.

"Mark Wood has done an outstanding job in steering the organisation through what's been some of the most challenging times for them, and is to be congratulated on his achievement in doing that so successfully."

The appointment of a poet and literary biographer represents an interesting move for MLA. His predecessor, Mark Wood, is a well travelled former news bureau chief and latterly Chairman and Chief Executive of Independent Television News (ITN).

Outgoing MLA Chairman Mark Wood. © MLA

MLA’s Chief Executive Roy Clare, who since his appointment in June 2007 has been working to re-define the role of MLA, has welcomed the appointment.

“A refreshed team is beginning to fit into place and will join me in looking forward to the opportunity of working with Andrew and the Board as we aim for our sector to make an ever increasing impact for the public," said Mr Clare.

Under Mr Clare’s stewardship MLA has recently restructured, relocated and slimmed down its staffing structure – emerging as a single agency with a new philosophy rooted firmly in best practice, innovation and integration of services.

Mr Motion will be joining an organisation that by April 2009, aims to have taken on a new regional role, repurposed to engage with local government in ways that deliver a new set of objectives.

Since publishing his first collection of poetry in 1977, Motion has published several volumes of poetry and biography, for which he has received the Somerset Maugham Award, the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Whitbread Prize for Biography.

He was Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia from 1995-2003, when he was appointed Professor of Creative Writing at Royal Holloway College, University of London.

"I am greatly looking forward to helping the MLA continue their tremendous work in all areas of museums, libraries and galleries,” he said.

“It is an exciting time to be entering the heart of the cultural arena, with the enormous boost in popularity that museums and galleries have seen over the past few years, and the Olympics just around the corner. I am confident the MLA can build on this and achieve even greater things in the future."