We are delighted to have art and antiques consultant, broadcaster and writer Hilary Kay as President of The Arts Society.

Widely recognised for her passion for the arts and gift for making culture accessible and engaging, Hilary brings a wealth of knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm to the role. 

As President, she champions The Arts Society’s commitment to connecting people through shared cultural experiences, lifelong learning and community engagement.

Hilary’s love of art, antiques and storytelling reflects the spirit of The Arts Society — inspiring people to discover, enjoy and share the arts together.

Hilary assumed her role as President of The Arts Society in April 2025.

A brief overview of her career and achievements to date is outlined below. 

Hilary joined Sotheby’s in 1977 and helped establish their new Collectors’ Department. The following year she was promoted to Head of Department and took her first auction at the age of 21 - Sotheby’s youngest ever auctioneer. 

She went on to become Senior Director at the world’s leading auction house at that time, developing auctions in innovative areas of collecting. 

During her time at Sotheby’s she created the first expert training programmes in the company and worked extensively with their education division. 

In 1978 Hilary was invited by the BBC to join the Antiques Roadshow team of experts and is now the longest-serving member of the Roadshow expert team. 

Over these 48 years Hilary has made extraordinary discoveries and enjoyed memorable conversations including a private Antiques Roadshow for HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

Sought-after as an experienced and accomplished speaker and presenter, Hilary has delivered countless lectures, talks, study days, entertainments, keynote and after-dinner speeches to audiences across the world. 

Hilary’s media career is ongoing, and she has presented or featured in a variety of television programmes; including, much to her surprise, winning BBC TV’s Celebrity Mastermind. 

Hilary established a corporate entertainment company in 2000 which presents lectures and entertainments centred on art and antiques for the world’s cruise industry, the corporate market and private clients. 

She devised and produced a theatre show which she presents with her good friend and Antiques Roadshow colleague, Paul Atterbury. Since the show’s launch in 2006, it has toured extensively through the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 

Hilary is also the creator and curator of The Art Institute, which she launched in 2016 in partnership with Online Education Pty Ltd in Australia. 

In this stimulating online history of art course Hilary brought together leading experts to provide students with a broad understanding of art, its history and the world that surrounds it. 

The Art Institute has many thousands of enthusiastic students and alumni in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.