[1][2] Born in Peckham, South London, he became interested in theatre while attending Alleyn's School on a scholarship.
[4][5] Performers included the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Moscow State Ballet, Yehudi Menuhin and local talents like Seamus Heaney and James Galway.
[6][7] Barnes also promoted newer artists like Nikolai Demidenko, Trestle Theatre, Philip Hammond, Rowan Atkinson and Billy Connolly.
In 1981, Barnes had convinced Michael Palin to perform his first solo show at the Belfast Festival; he returned every other year after.
[14][15][16] The two men became friends, and after Barnes' death, Palin set up a drama scholarship programme at Queen's University in his memory.