Governance Now: 'Championing Communities': Speaker Biographies

Keith Arrowsmith, Senior Partner (Legal), Counterculture Partnership LLP and Governance Associate, Clore Leadership

Keith qualified as a solicitor in 1995, and has worked in law firms in London, Manchester and Sheffield, building up a reputation for providing practical, cost effective legal advice in the arts, heritage, digital and media sectors. He is now head of the legal team at Counterculture, where he provides guidance and assistance on charity law, data protection, governance, intellectual property, business law, contracts and website law. He also contributes to workshops, planning days, talks, written reports and provides other bespoke guidance. He is co-author of the Clore Leadership publication Governance in the Arts and Museums: A Practical Guide. He is a member of the Charity Law Association, and is researching aspects of governance within the sector with Sheffield Hallam University. According to THE LEGAL 500, 2020 RANKINGS, the ‘patient, empathic and supportive’ Keith Arrowsmith leads an ‘informed, professional and easy to work with’ team.
 

Emma- Jane Benning, Co-Artistic Director, Strike A Light

I've been with SAL since its inception almost 10 years ago. SAL has created a unique environment for me to grow, enabling me to become an arts leader in my own community - Gloucester, a Priority Place with a limited arts ecology.  We work with & for communities in Gloucester, alongside exceptional, diverse, nationally significant artists, to create events that people could never have imagined would happen in their city.

We are adopting a move away from Artistic Director led programming, aiming to create the opportunity for others to take up power and challenge systems using the arts as the vehicle.

Ri Chakraborty, Trustee, Norwich University of the Arts

Ri Chakraborty is a trained Broadcast Journalist, award-winning senior Executive Producer/Commissioner with global focus, 27 years' experience in TV, Film, Arts innovation, and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society for arts, manufactures and commerce (RSA). Currently, Chair on the Trustees' Board of WizeUp Financial Education and twice-elected member of Governing Council at Norwich University of the Arts (Deputy Chair on both Nominations Committee and People Committee).

Ri oversees and advises on arts strategies; creative education, innovation, commissions productions in the EU/UK and exec produces across numerous large teams with global film/tv slates. As an Ambassador with the Digital Poverty Alliance, she helps advise on content strategy.

Patrick Collier, Co-CEO and Executive Director, Access All Areas

Patrick is Executive Director and Co-CEO of Access All Areas, a company of learning disabled and autistic artists that create productions, train artists, promote inclusive leadership practice, and consult on access and inclusion for learning disabled and autistic talent across film, TV, and theatre.

As well as working as Executive Director of Access All Areas, Patrick has 12 years’ experience as a producer and director in theatre and dance, working with companies including Graeae Theatre, 201 Dance Company, British Council, Theatre Témoin, Theatre Re, Sparkle and Dark and others. 
 

Sarah Derbyshire MBE, Chief Executive, Orchestra's Live

Sarah Derbyshire is Chief Executive of Orchestras Live. During her tenure, Sarah has championed Orchestras Live’s role as an innovative, inclusive co-producer. The organisation’s profile and reputation within and beyond the orchestral sector has been enhanced through award-winning programmes and projects engaging new audiences in communities that have suffered historic under-investment. 

Past roles include leading national organisations Live Music Now and the National Children’s Orchestras, and playing a founder role in local and regional organisations such as Pied Piper, NYMAZ and Jazz North with the aim to ensure equal access to inspirational and inclusive live performance in any genre.

Sarah Gee, Chair, Spitalfields Music

Sarah splits her time between Birmingham and East London, where she’s Chief Executive of Spitalfields Music, a charity running year-round music projects for the local community, an extensive creative leadership programme, and a highly-regarded festival each summer.  Alongside that, she runs NSG Productions, working with cultural organisations on organisational development and fundraising.  She is a regular trainer and speaker at conferences around the world, and has led events for the European Broadcasting Union, International Theatre Conference Japan, and Sibelius Academy in Finland. 

Sarah is a trustee of the Royal Philharmonic Society, The Stringcredibles, and Motionhouse, and former trustee of BBC Performing Arts Fund and National Campaign for the Arts. 

Ruth Hogarth, Editor, Arts Professional

Ruth Hogarth is a journalist specialising in cultural policy. She is currently Editor of Arts Professional, the UK’s leading arts and culture journal for industry professionals, and an Honorary Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London. 

She began her career as a theatre Stage Manager, then spent 20 years with the BBC World Service as a Producer, Presenter and Editor, before moving to academia where she was Director of Cultural Partnerships at King’s College London.

She is a trustee of Artichoke and the British American Drama Academy, and a member of the Steering Group for the Cultural Governance Alliance.

Sukhy Johal MBE, Director of the Centre of Culture & Creativity & Arts Council Chair, Midlands Area [Keynote]

Sukhy Johal is the founding Director of the Centre, and is an all-round champion of the creative sector and creative thinking. He is passionate about the difference they make to lives and places., Sukhy, takes an entrepreneurial, cross-sector approach to developing  projects and strategic opportunities alike , and through the work of the centre, brings the University together with partners from across the cultural sector and beyond.

He has a background in supporting Social and Community Enterprises, he is a National Council Member and Midlands Area Chair for Arts Council England, and chairs numerous place based cultural programmes including Grimsby Creates, one of the four CDF DCMS pilot programmes and Transported the Lincolnshire Creative People Places Programme.

Ayub Khan MBE, FRSA, Vice Chair, Birmingham Rep Theatre

Ayub Khan is head of libraries, heritage and culture for Warwickshire County Council. He is an active member of several national and international bodies representing arts and culture and is a board Member of Arts Council England (Midlands). He is a Fellow and past President of CILIP - the Library and Information Association. In 2013, Ayub was awarded an MBE for his services to Libraries and Communities.

Ayub’s interest extends to international development, with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. He has worked on library developments for the British Council in several countries. He began his career in children’s service in Birmingham. Ayub is Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Birmingham Rep, and chairs its Inclusion and Relevance subcommittee. 

Andrew Lovett OBE, Chief Executive, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley and Chair, Association of Museums [Keynote]

Andrew Lovett OBE has 30 years senior-level experience working across the museums, leisure, tourism, arts, heritage and protected landscape sectors, including 11 years working for the Lake District National Park. Andrew started his current role as Chief Executive of the multi-award-winning Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands in August 2009.

Since 2019, Andrew has chaired the Association of Independent Museums (with 1,250 members across the UK). In March 2022, he was elected Deputy Chair of the National Museum Directors’ Council, representing the UK’s national museums, alongside British Library, British Film Institute, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and The National Archives, and 40 of the UK’s largest regional museums.

Andrew was appointed to Chair the West Midlands Tourism Board by Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor, in 2020. Andrew is Chair of the Dudley Towns Fund Board (a regeneration body), and Chair of West Midlands Arts Trust. In July 2022, he was appointed a Director of West Midlands Growth Company; a public-private-sector partnership charged with creating new jobs, attracting inward investment and encouraging tourism in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Dr Nick Merriman, Chief Executive, Horniman Museum and Gardens

Dr Nick Merriman has been Chief Executive of the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London since May 2018. Previously he was Director of the Manchester Museum at the University of Manchester, and prior to that Reader in Museum and Heritage Studies at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

He studied archaeology at Cambridge University and began his career as curator of prehistory at the Museum of London. He is Honorary Professor of Museum Studies at UCL and the University of Manchester, Chair of the Designation Panel of Arts Council England and Chair of the National Trust’s Collections and Interpretation Advisory Group. Among many other appointments has been President of the Council for British Archaeology, and Chair of ICOM UK. 

Charlotte Nicol, Associate Dean, School of Arts and Creative Industries, Teesside University

Charlotte is Associate Dean, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange at Teesside University and until recently she was Head of Culture for Middlesbrough Council.   She is passionate about the culture and the creative industries influencing and working collaboratively with other sectors including health and regeneration, ultimately influencing policy.  Last year she led a successful £5million partnership bid to the Cultural Development Fund in Middlesbrough to embed culture into the regeneration of the town, and developed a new South Tees Arts in health strategy for the region.  Charlotte’s background is working in the cultural sector both in programme and strategic management, she is a Clore fellow, and a fellow of the RSA.   

Keshena Partridge-Bowie, Co-Deputy Chair, The Play House

Keshena is co-deputy chair for The Play House, a Theatre in Education company, based in Birmingham. She joined the board in 2018 after completing a 'Young People on Arts Boards' training course, which was delivered at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Before this, she was a member of the Youth Steering Committee for youth engagement agency Beatfreeks, where she also gained valuable insight into, and training about, governance - in fact, this was where she first found out young people were even allowed to be board members!

Currently working as Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager for Birmingham, Keshena is motivated by making a positive difference to her community, particularly for children and young people. She believes in listening to and empowering young people, so that they can help shape the world around them.
 

Charlene Salter, Co-Chair and Associate Artist, Access All Areas

Charlene is a humble and fun loving person, a black woman and member of the LGBTQ+ community. She loves to challenge people’s perceptions of learning disability and autism, as a learning disabled person herself. 
For Access All Areas, Charlene currently sits as co-chairperson of the board of trustees, whilst also being an Associate Artist, writer, facilitator, and consultant.
Charlene’s most recent work was ‘The Interrogation’ (2020-21), an innovative app-based show commissioned by The Lowry, co-written with Shaun Dunne, and co-created with Access All Areas, for which Charlene also provided most of the audio performance. This interactive audio production challenged audiences to question the causes of criminality, the ableism of language, and the feeling of being judged as a learning disabled person.  
In 2020 she was appointed to join the #FreelanceTaskForce where she joined other freelancers sponsored by arts organisations; together they worked to strengthen the influence of freelancers in deciding the future of theatre. In 2022, she joined Battersea Arts Centre’s artist sub-group, advising the board of trustees. 

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England [Keynote]

Nicholas Serota has been Chair of Arts Council England since February 2017 and is a member of the Board of the BBC. He is currently Chair of the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education.

He was Director of Tate between 1988 and 2017.  During this period Tate opened Tate St Ives (1993) and Tate Modern (2000 & 2016), redefining the Millbank building as Tate Britain (2000).   Tate also developed its national role by creating partnerships with regional galleries across the UK in the Plus Tate network. Between 2008 and 2017 he led the work on ‘Greening Museums’ for the Bizot Group of international museums.

Moira Sinclair OBE, Chief Executive, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Chair, Clore Leadership

Moira Sinclair OBE is Chief Executive of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, an independent grant maker whose vision is for a just society in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives. In 2020/2021, PHF made £39m grants to organisations and individuals working in the arts, in cultural education, in migration and integration, and in giving young people voice. 

Moira is Chair of Clore Leadership and Chair of the London Mayor’s Cultural Strategy Board. She is also a member of the British Library Advisory Council and of the Investment Committee for the Arts & Culture Impact Fund. In late 2021, she became a Visiting Leadership Fellow at Exeter University Centre for Leadership.

Prue Skene CBE, Chair of Cardboard Citizens and Governance Associate, Clore Leadership

Prue is Chair of Cardboard Citizens and trustee of the Nureyev Foundation. She has led major performing companies (Ballet Rambert and English Shakespeare Company) as CEO and set up a Fellowship programme for the Arts Foundation before becoming a freelance consultant.

Her non-executive appointments have included President of the Theatrical Management Association, a non-executive Director of the Royal United Hospital NHS Trust and Bath Theatre Royal, and Chair of Rambert Dance Company, the Arvon Foundation and Free Word. From 1992-2000, she chaired the Arts Council of England’s Dance and Lottery Panels. She was awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to the arts.   

Prue initiated a Board Development programme for the Clore Leadership Programme, of which she remains Lead Governance Associate, and facilitates governance sessions for many cultural organisations. 

Nicola Turner MBE, Director of Legacy, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games [Keynote]

Nicola Turner MBE is Director of Legacy for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the largest sports and culture event ever to have been staged in the West Midlands. She also leads the Games’ official legacy charity, United By 2022.

Since May 2020, Nicola’s job is to ensure the people, businesses and institutions in the region gain the maximum benefit from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. She has been responsible for aligning and galvanising the Games partners to create a lasting legacy. Nicola has led the planning and delivery of all legacy programmes including jobs and skills, volunteering, participation of schools and young people, improving physical activity and wellbeing, civic pride, community cohesion, sustainability and social value. In July 2022 her team published an update on legacy which can be downloaded here https://www.birmingham2022.com/legacy
 

Tim Wheeler, Independent Arts Consultant

Tim is an independent arts consultant and award-winning performance maker. He is a senior lecturer at the University of Worcester. 

His primary research interests are developing international dialogue through the arts, D/deaf disability and neurodivergent arts and cross-sectoral inclusive practice. He has an interest in creating work through personal experiences of trauma. 

Tim is co-founder of and, between 1988 and 2014, was Artistic Director and joint CEO of Mind the Gap (UK), a theatre company that works with learning disabled and non-disabled artists. His version of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men won the Stage/TMA award for Outstanding Achievement in Regional Theatre in 2002. In the 1990s, he collaborated with Augusto Boal to make Theatre of the Oppressed accessible to learning disabled artists in the UK.

Sipho Ndlovu, Performance Artist

Sipho Eric Ndlovu is a Birmingham based performance artist, writer, facilitator and producer. Working within education, academia and disability Arts, Sipho aims to create inclusive spaces as an advocate for arts & culture.

Instagram: @siphoericndlovu

Tamana Kaur Gulati, Conference Producer

Tam is a freelance project manager, host, and facilitator. She works with organisations to create capacity within teams and key projects. She is also trained as a Learning and Development professional and her work has a keen focus in D&I.

Prior to this, Tam worked as the Leadership Programme Coordinator at Coventry City of Culture Trust – focusing on creating a programme for sector leaders with a place-based practice approach, in a co-created manner.

Tam has a Leadership Development qualification from the ILM and has also worked on programmes such as Charityworks and has managed communication functions for a leading healthcare and education organisation. She acts as a mentor through the Sutton Trust and is a lived experience healthcare leader with The University of Birmingham’s DAISy-PCOS project. Creatively, Tam is a Bhangra and Salsa Dancer in addition to being a spoken word poet. Tam is from Coventry and has a first-class degree from Warwick University and an MA in Law from the University of Law.

Margaret Harrison, Head of Programmes, Association of Independent Museums

Margaret is Head of Programmes for the Association of Independent Museums. She is responsible for AIM’s support to members including grant programmes, training, events, advice and guidance. Margaret manages AIM’s governance programme which offers dedicated support, practical guidance and help for boards, developed with colleagues and experts from across the sector. She has spent 30 years working in museums of all shapes and sizes.