SWAc Patron, Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE DL

The Trustees are delighted and honoured to announce that Baroness Floella Benjamin of Beckenham OBE DL has agreed to be the first Patron of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts. Lady Benjamin is a distinguished actress, singer, author, television presenter, businesswoman and parliamentarian and after 43 years still appears regularly on children’s television programmes.  Her book ‘Coming to England’ is used in schools and covers Windrush history. The Prime Minister appointed her Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee to create a lasting monument to celebrate the contribution to Britain made by the Windrush Generation.

Lady Benjamin has close links with the South West and for ten years was Chancellor of Exeter University and became famous for hugging every graduate imploring them to 'change the world’. When she stepped down as Chancellor, the University put up a statue of her in recognition of her contribution to the City of Exeter.  

We look forward to welcoming Baroness Floella Benjamin to one of our exhibitions this year.

Photo by Ayo Banton