Ruth Borthwick's early career spanned publishing, researching and bookselling in England and in Australia, where she worked in the first bookshop in Sydney to sell gay books.[5] In 1995, she co-founded with Bernardine Evaristo London's writer development agency Spread the Word, "to encourage new voices to emerge and tell their stories".[6]
Borthwick was for a decade chief executive of the Arvon Foundation, a leading UK charitable organisation that promotes creative writing,[7] from 2009 until 2019, during which time she oversaw renovation of its Shropshire centre The Hurst, expanded work with teachers and launched a new digital programme.[8][9] From 2000 to 2007, she directed the Literature and Talks programme at London's Southbank Centre, where she founded the children's literature festival "Imagine", and revived Poetry International, a biennial festival inaugurated by Ted Hughes.[5] She also headed the "Planet Poetry" initiative, a consortium of poetry organizations, that aimed to "help develop a new economy for poets and poetry by increasing the number, range and diversity of people who engage with poetry".[10]
International initiatives with which she has worked over the years include the annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad,[11][12] and the British Council's 2016 collaboration with the Yasnaya Polyana Museum-Estate of Leo Tolstoy.[13][14]
In December 2021, having served as a trustee of English PEN since 2019, Borthwick was named as its Chair,[15] taking over the position from writer, translator and academic Maureen Freely, with Aki Schilz (Director of The Literary Consultancy) as vice-chair, taking over from journalist Claire Armitstead.[16][2]