Clore Leadership is delighted to welcome 20 exceptional cultural leaders to the 2026/27 Clore Fellowship, ready to learn, develop and grow alongside each other. Hailing from across the UK and beyond, they represent a diverse mix of art forms and expertise. This year’s Fellows are already leading a forward-looking, creative and ambitious cultural sector through extremely challenging times. Over the year, they will develop their leadership practice, learn alongside one another and build the skills and confidence to lead in organisations large and small, develop their own projects and priorities, or work as freelance experts. The Fellowship offers supportive space for the Fellows to learn and reflect, to develop their potential, and to become the leaders the cultural sector needs.
The cohort includes leaders from across England, Wales and Scotland, and international leaders from India, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt. The Fellows bring expertise in dance, policy, participation, education, museums, theatre, literature, performing arts, outdoor arts, visual arts and heritage.
As the UK’s most prestigious programme for leadership development in the cultural sector, Clore Fellowship has equipped more than 500 Fellows with the skills to lead with integrity, impact and imagination over the past 23 years. Alumni have gone on to lead in myriad different ways, whether breaking new ground as independent artists, guiding NPOs to new heights, or building the most innovative projects from the ground up. Our Fellows challenge received ideas, forge new ways of thinking and doing, and work to build an equitable, inclusive future that brings culture to everyone, everywhere.
Moira Sinclair, Chair of Clore Leadership, welcomed the cohort:
“During difficult times for the cultural sector, it is inspiring to see another cohort of brilliant, responsive and imaginative leaders ready to learn, grow and challenge each other. With a commitment to inclusivity, equity and accessibility and to producing some of the country’s most exceptional and engaging culture, the 26/27 Fellows are the leaders the sector of tomorrow needs.”
Kate Bellamy, Director, Clore Duffield Foundation, added:
“We’re delighted to continue to support the only Fellowship of its kind in the UK, investing in leaders with enormous potential. The Clore Fellowship provides space for reflection, growth and inspiration through a leadership development programme tailored to each Fellow. Residential weeks explore leadership in action, alongside work on values, inclusivity, strategic planning and looking to the future. We’re excited to welcome this talented cohort of Fellows and to see how they grow and develop as leaders.”
Clore Leadership is grateful to its strategic partners, including major funders the Clore Duffield Foundation and Arts Council England, alongside Artists Now, Chevening Secretariat, Dancers’ Career Development, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and The Linbury Trust.
The 2026/27 Fellows are:
Cultural Learning Fellowship
Supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation
Kofi Acheampong
Kofi Acheampong is Head of Engagement at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. A Scottish-Ghanaian cultural leader, he has more than 20 years’ experience across music, film, creative learning and community engagement, working alongside young people, artists and communities to create opportunities for them to shape culture. His practice centres on equity, participation and cultural democracy, with a focus on care, trust and co-creation. Through the Clore Fellowship, Kofi hopes to explore how cultural organisations can create more inclusive opportunities for people to shape and lead culture.
Ed Watts
Ed Watts is Head of Civic Engagement and Education at the Whitworth, University of Manchester. He has spent more than 15 years working with artists, communities and colleagues to explore the role of museums as civic spaces for creativity, learning and social change. His practice centres on long-term, co-produced partnerships with lived experience-led organisations, helping to embed civic engagement at the heart of institutional practice. Through the Clore Fellowship, Ed hopes to explore how cultural organisations can help reimagine learning and contribute to more inclusive, creative and equitable civic systems.
Culture & Climate Fellowship
Supported by The Linbury Trust
Gaby Hornsby
Gaby was the first editorial lead on sustainability within BBC Commissioning, supporting the corporation’s non-news output. Previously an award-winning filmmaker, she uses a mixture of storytelling, subject matter and audience expertise to inspire others. Gaby was instrumental in the creation of the Climate Content Pledge (a commitment to climate-themed storytelling), signed by the BBC and 11 other broadcasters at COP26. She also launched Climate Creatives with BBC Academy, a major annual industry-wide event to spark fresh ideas around climate content. She is now looking to broaden her impact across the cultural sector.
Dance Fellowship
Supported by Dancers’ Career Development and The Linbury Trust
Errol White
Errol White is an award-winning dancer, performer, choreographer, educator and cultural leader with more than 30 years’ experience across contemporary dance, theatre and education in the UK and internationally. He is Co-Artistic Director of White & Givan, a contemporary dance company based in Edinburgh. He has developed programmes that support dancers’ careers, professional development, health and wellbeing, and long-term sustainability. His practice is recognised for its inclusive, care-led approach, bringing together artistic excellence, collaboration and sustainable pathways for dancers and the wider cultural sector.
Duffield Fellowship
Supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation
Steve Gardam
Steve is a consultant, CEO, trustee and mentor. He has held senior roles in public engagement, and project management roles at the Postal Museum, Imperial War Museums and London Transport Museum. Steve is a proud generalist who works across governance, strategy, learning, communications and commerce. He strives to translate complex to simple, to help organisations and individuals to make self-aware, intentional change for good. Steve spent ten years as Director of the award-winning Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire, reshaping the organisation’s culture, systems and future direction. He is a trustee of the Association for Cultural Enterprises
Natalie Phillips
Natalie Phillips is Head of Content & Business Development at Landmark Theatres, a four-venue National Portfolio Organisation with venues across North Devon and Peterborough. She has more than 20 years’ experience in theatre, with expertise in marketing, audience development, fundraising, business development and place-based cultural strategy. Previously a Senior Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, she supported place-based strategy and national programmes including Creative People and Places. Natalie hopes to explore how cultural organisations can strengthen regional touring, widen access to culture and build more sustainable and equitable organisations.
Laura Sangster-Poole
Laura is Head of Marketing at The Old Vic, where she leads a multi-disciplinary team of marketing, communications and digital content professionals. Her interests include audience engagement, live and digital storytelling, and building cultural organisations that are commercially successful, socially impactful and culturally relevant. She has previously worked at the Almeida Theatre, the Lyric Hammersmith, and the National Theatre.
Excellerate Fellowship
Supported by Arts Council England
Rozzy Knox
Rozzy Knox is Deputy Managing Director & Head of Finance at Battersea Arts Centre, where she leads finance and business development. She has more than a decade of experience across theatre and the arts, including roles at the Bridge Theatre, Middle Child and ATG, and was previously Executive Director at Middle Child Theatre. Her practice combines financial and strategic expertise with a passion for enabling creative ambition.
Nicole May
Nicole is Executive Director at Young Identity, a literature and performance arts charity for young people based in Manchester. A poet, producer, dramaturg and director, she has built her career at the intersection of artistic excellence, community power and cultural equity, with experience spanning organisations including Nuyorican Poets Café and Schaubühne. Previously Associate Producer at Certain Blacks, she is passionate about diverse leadership, equitable governance and the transformative power of the arts.
Self funded and Employer Funded Fellowships
Paula Orrell
Paula is a curator, advocate and National Director of Contemporary Visual Arts Network, leading national policy advocacy, sector development and equity programmes for the visual arts. With significant international experience and a deep understanding of contemporary art from grassroots artist-led organisations to major institutions and policy bodies, she has directed organisations including CoCA Toi Moroki in Christchurch and Plymouth Arts Centre. Paula is Chair of Coventry Biennial and is passionate about the role of culture in driving social, economic and cultural regeneration
Theatre Fellowship
Supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation
Nicola Clements
Nicola Clements is a theatre leader with specialisms in fundraising, change management and artist-centred strategy. Her career has taken her from fundraising and events at the Royal Shakespeare Company to executive leadership roles with Camden People’s Theatre and, most recently, the Gate, where she oversaw a major transition from a venue-based operation to a producing model. She is also a trustee of WAC Arts.
Iqbal Khan
Iqbal is Associate Director at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Associate Artist of Box Clever Theatre Company. He has extensive experience directing across theatre, opera and classical music, including work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Barbican and the Royal Exchange, Manchester. He was Artistic Director of the 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony and has directed internationally in Paris and Japan, alongside residencies at Michigan State University, Lafayette College and Nanjing.
Transform Fellowship
Supported by Arts Council England
Joelle Packer-Hall
Joelle Packer-Hall is Strategic Director at Skin Deep, where she leads organisational strategy, partnerships and fundraising. She has more than a decade of experience across arts, culture and social justice, building programmes, partnerships and organisations that support artists and communities. Previously, she held leadership roles at Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Alongside her organisational leadership, Joelle is an artist whose work spans photography, self-portraiture and visual storytelling, exploring identity, belonging and the relationship between personal experience and wider social change.
Liz Pickering
Liz is a Creative and Executive Director, specialising in combined arts programming, operational delivery and strategic partnerships. She is the Cultural Director at Culture Warrington and was previously Deputy CEO at Wild Rumpus. Her career spans the Science Museum Group, Manchester International Festival and Global Media. As Cultural Director for Culture Warrington Liz is relaunching the Pyramid Arts Centre and is Director of Warrington Arts Festival. She is also the proud chair of ThickSkin Theatre. Her focus is on creating pathways into and within the cultural sector to increase representation of working class people in leadership, in particular governance and organisational design.
Visual Artist Fellowship
Supported by Artists Now
Emma Smith
Emma is a visual artist based in the UK and works internationally. Her social practice spans temporary and permanent installations for galleries and the public realm, creating spaces for people to share experiences, research and knowledge. Rooted in social and ecologicl justice, her work explores human connectivity, entangled ecologies and the places we cohabit, addressing issues including relationships across borders, invisible labour, gender prejudice, children’s agency and the climate emergency. Her commissions include work for Tate Modern, the Barbican and Bluecoat.
Chevening Fellowship
Chevening Fellowships are supported by the Chevening Secretariat at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Chevening offers individuals who show potential to inspire, inform, and influence positive change the opportunity to study in the UK.
Nagwa Abdewlzaher Mohamed Bakr
Nagwa is Head of Training at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, where she develops learning programmes that strengthen museum professionals and future cultural leaders. She has designed exhibitions and community initiatives that bring women’s voices into the interpretation and safeguarding of Egypt’s cultural heritage. Her work connects museums with communities through participation, dialogue, and inclusive approaches. She also represented the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on a national task force to shape Egypt’s soft power strategy.
Kanupriya Bhatter
Kanupriya Bhatter is a museum professional, curator and cultural policy expert. She brings more than 15 years’ experience leading national and international initiatives across the arts, crafts and heritage sectors in India. As an advisor to the Ministry of Culture, India, she has contributed to museum development, creative economy strategy and the G20 Culture Track. She is an Associate Editor of Curator: The Museum Journal, and a Charles Wallace India Trust Scholar.
Nadia Karina Fabela Campos
Nadia Fabela is a freelance Project Designer and Manager leading community cultural projects in South East Mexico. Since 2012, she has designed, funded and delivered sociocultural projects that connect artistic practice, political advocacy and community organising, with a focus on women’s and LGBTQ+ movements. She has led large-scale public events and advocacy initiatives reaching thousands of participants, and previously served as LAC Regional Coordinator for international advocacy efforts across Ecuador, Panama and Guatemala.
Shaleen Wadhwana
Shaleen is an award-winning researcher and cultural strategist, building new frameworks for how South Asia confronts its object histories through contemporary art, rooted in access, repair, and regional voice. She curated Chemould Prescott Road’s 60th anniversary exhibition, and MOOL, a cross-border exhibition of 20 artists from five South Asian countries. Her academic research brought cultural repatriation into mainstream awareness through The Unfiltered History Tour, earning India’s first-ever 12 Cannes Lions. She co-created IMMERSE, an artist-curator residency, sits on KADIST’s Asia Advisory Committee, and is part of the Curatorium for Indian Ocean Craft Triennial 2027.
Nala Xaba
Nala is a culture researcher and participatory curator from Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than ten years’ experience working with museums and galleries, social justice organisations, public archives, publishers and media houses. They are committed to building critical spaces, living archives, and collaborative platforms that deepen public thought and expand possibilities for collective change. In 2025, Nala became the founding Artistic Director of Post as Prefix (PAP) Studios, through which they explore the curatorial as a social research practice, co-creating collective attending, resistance and retrieval methodologies, towards narrative repair and epistemic justice.
Notes to editor:
For enquiries, images and interview requests, contact Rebecca Usher:
E: communications@cloreleadership.org
Fiona Allan, Strategy & Governance Consultant
Fiona Allan is an arts and cultural leader, executive coach and strategic adviser. Since early 2026 she has been building an independent consultancy practice across Australia and the UK, working with cultural organisations, boards and senior leaders on strategy, leadership, governance and organisational change.
Most recently, Fiona served as Chief Executive Officer of Opera Australia. Previously, she was Artistic Director & CEO of Birmingham Hippodrome, CEO of Curve Theatre, Artistic Director of Wales Millennium Centre, and CEO of Sydney Film Festival. Across these roles, she has led major cultural organisations through periods of artistic ambition, strategic development and change.
Alongside her executive career, Fiona has held a range of sector leadership and governance roles. She is currently Chair of Sydney’s Hayes Theatre Co. Her previous appointments include President of UK Theatre, Chair of The Space, Chair of the West Midlands Tourism Board, Co-Chair of UK Dance Consortium and a number of other board and advisory roles.
Dawn Airey CBE, Chair, Arts Council England
Dawn has over 30 years of experience in the media and creative industries, holding senior leadership positions across major broadcasters. Her executive career includes serving as Chief Executive of Channel 5, where she was the inaugural Director of Programmes, and Managing Director of Channels and Services at Sky. She has also held roles as Managing Director of Global Content at ITV and Senior Vice President at Yahoo! for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Dawn also served as the Chief Executive of Getty Images between 2015 and 2018.
Dawn holds several high-profile non-executive positions. She is currently the Chair of the National Youth Theatre and the educational platform Digital Theatre+. She also chairs the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship board, a position she has held since 2019. In 2023 Dawn was appointed Chancellor of Edge Hill University. In 2021 she joined the board of Channel 4, where she acted as Interim Chair from 2022 – 25, she is currently Deputy Chair of the Board.
In the 2024 Birthday Honours, Dawn was awarded a CBE for services to theatre and to charity. She is a Vice President and Fellow of the Royal Television Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts. Photo credit: Photo Jonathan Phang
Keith Arrowsmith, Managing Director, ProArts Plus
Keith is a qualified solicitor providing specialist legal and governance advice to organisations in the cultural, creative, heritage, and educational sectors. Keith is the Lead Governance Associate for the Clore Leadership Programme, one of the authors of the Cultural Governance Alliance’s Handbook, and creator of the EDI Benchmarking tool.
Keith has been recommended in the independent legal publications, Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
Keith was played by actor Joel Fry in the Netflix film, Bank of Dave, and Lucca Patel-Chadwick in the musical version, staged earlier this year.
Paul Blundell, Head of Digital Research & Development, Arts Marketing Association
Paul works with cultural organisations on responsible and sustainable AI adoption. Drawing on 25 years’ experience working across the arts, digital projects and AI, he has developed a methodology for helping organisations build responsible AI literacy from the ground up. He has trained over 250 arts professionals, runs sector governance roundtables, and delivers AI policy and leadership training. His work focuses on helping teams hold onto good judgement: when to say yes, when the right thing is to say no and how to stand behind decisions.
Ada Burns, Chair, Teesside University
Ada is Chair of the Board at Teesside University and brings extensive senior leadership experience from local government and public service. She was Chief Executive of Darlington Borough Council until 2018 and previously held senior positions in London Councils before moving to the North East in 2005.
Her governance experience spans higher and further education, the NHS, central government, “the arts”, and the voluntary sector. She is a Member of the Committee of University Chairs, and a Non-Executive Director of the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.
Chris Cooke, Mayor of Middlesbrough
Chris Cooke was elected as Middlesbrough Mayor in May 2023. Chris was born in Middlesbrough and grew up within the care system where he lived in various locations around the region. He worked in multiple sectors prior to his election including IT, education and politics as Councillor for Newport. It is through these diverse roles and experiences he has become attuned to the varying issues people of Middlesbrough face.
His manifesto, in short, is for Middlesbrough to be healthier, safer and ambitious. His approach is to lead with integrity, vision and empathy. Chris proudly says that “it is the people of Middlesbrough who have elected me to this post, and it is the people of Middlesbrough I will serve”.
Erica Crump, Managing Partner, Bates Wells
Erica is the current Managing Partner and Chair of partners of Bates Wells, a law firm and B Corp based in London, and well known for its market leading charities and social enterprise practice. The firm acts for countless social enterprises and non-profits (large and small) operating in the UK and internationally. She also chairs the firm’s Risk & Reputation committee. Erica has been a charities and social enterprise lawyer for twenty years. She is also a serial board member for charities and social enterprises – her most recent positions being as trustee for Shakespeare’s Globe and Stone Nest – two charities focused on performance, education, community, and place.
Catherine Holden, Consultant, Facilitator, Coach
Catherine Holden MA (Oxon), FRSA, is a consultant, facilitator, trainer, speaker and coach, advising on organisational strategy and development, governance, team building, fundraising, brands and marketing. Catherine has worked with over 50 arts and heritage organisations across the UK, and held leadership roles with national museums, galleries and theatres in London and Edinburgh. She is a board member for Clore Leadership, Art UK (Vice-Chair), and the National Theatre of Scotland, and formerly a trustee of Craft Scotland (Chair), Edinburgh Art Festival, Fruitmarket and the Arts Marketing Association.
Abid Hussain, Director, Diversity, Arts Council England
Abid Hussain is Director, Diversity with responsibility for delivering the Arts Council’s work on equality, diversity and inclusion. He currently leads on the delivery of the organisation’s Equality Objectives and All In; a UK wide scheme to improve the experience of disabled people attending arts and cultural events.
He is an alumnus of the U.S International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) and the Salzburg Global Seminar and gained a distinction in his MBA at Aston University. Abid has extensive experience of working with cultural agencies, government and academia internationally and has contributed to several international conferences and academic texts and journals in his field of expertise.
Charlie Kemp, Head of Creative Place, Tees Valley Combined Authority
Charlie Kemp is Head of Creative Place at the Tees Valley Combined Authority, where she leads strategic development of the region’s creative and cultural economy, including the UK’s Digital & Creative Investment Zone. Working at the intersection of cultural industries, economic development and devolution, she has extensive experience designing place-based growth programmes, building partnerships and translating national policy into local action. Charlie is a passionate advocate for creative ecosystems that are deeply embedded in the wider social, economic and civic life of place.
Gaye Kirby, Head of Culture, Middlesbrough Council
Gaye leads the Culture Service at Middlesbrough Council including oversight of several venues (Town Hall, Theatre, Museums and Archives) plus an Events and Festivals team. She works closely with the Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership to support the growth of the sector in Middlesbrough and embed culture into different service areas such as Regeneration, Public Health and Adult Social Care. In September 2023, the Cultural Partnership launched its 10-year Creative Vision for Middlesbrough with an ambition of making Middlesbrough the most creative town in the UK.
Gaye is currently leading Middlesbrough’s bid for UK City of Culture 2029 on behalf of the Council, working alongside partners Teesside University, Tees Valley Combined Authority and Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership.
Prior to joining the Council, Gaye was Head of Development at Durham Cathedral where she led several strategic developments including a major NLHF-funded project to transform access to the cathedral’s buildings and collections, including the creation of a new museum.
Dr. Suzann McLean MBE, CEO/Artistic Director of Theatre Peckham
Dr. Suzann McLean MBE is a director, actor and cultural leader with over 30 years’ experience shaping inclusive, future facing theatre. As CEO and Artistic Director of Theatre Peckham, she has championed new voices and expanded access, creating pathways for young creatives to thrive. Founder of Young and Talented, she is committed to developing talent and leading change across the industry. Suzann brings insight into how the sector can evolve, diversifying audiences and ensuring theatre remains relevant, innovative and deeply connected to communities.
Dave Moutrey OBE, Director of Culture and Creative Industries for Manchester City Council
Dave is responsible for leading on the creation and delivery of Manchester City Council’s cultural and creative industries policy and strategy working closely with the city’s cultural and creative industries sector on joint working and other collaborative initiatives.
Until March 2024 he was Director and Chief Executive of HOME a purpose built multi art form venue that opened in May 2015. He conceived and led both the merger of Cornerhouse & Library Theatre Company to create the organisation to operate HOME and the £25m capital project to create the building which has attracted almost 1m visits per year since opening.
Dave was awarded an OBE for services to culture in 2022 and a Doctor of Arts honoris causa by the University of Salford in 2018. He is a member of the Chartered Management Institute, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Chair of the Theatres Trust and was appointed by the Secretary of State at the DCMS as member of the 2025 Hodge Review of Arts Council England. He was previously an advisor to the British Council and still holds a number of non-executive roles on not-for-profit boards.
Sita McIntosh, Chief Executive, Go Live Theatre Projects
Sita McIntosh is an experienced UK theatre trustee with over 38 years’ experience in the industry incorporating many aspects of the business including sales, ticketing and marketing, working for West End productions, off West End venues, regional theatres and ticket agents. She ran the UK’s largest theatre website, WhatsOnStage, for over seven years and in that role co-produced the annual WhatsOnStage Awards, the largest publicly voted theatre awards in the UK.
Sita’s true passion is audience inclusion and now as CEO of Go Live Theatre Projects she enjoys opening up the joy of live theatre to children and young people from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds.
She chairs the board at Curve Theatre in Leicester and has previously chaired the boards at Tonic Theatre and Kiln Theatre and has also sat as a trustee at HOME in Manchester.
Andrew Miller MBE, UK Arts Access Champion for All In
Passionate about democratising cultural governance, Andrew is recognised as one of the most influential disability advocates in the UK, transforming perceptions throughout his 35+years career in the arts, education, broadcast and film sectors.
A prolific writer on culture and a regular conference keynote speaker, his current portfolio of roles includes UK Arts Access Champion – supporting the creation of the national arts access scheme All In with the 5 UK & Ireland arts councils, he is co-Deputy Chair of the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as being a Trustee of BAFTA and Chair of Young BAFTA.
He previously served on the boards (and chaired several committees) of Arts Council England, Welsh National Opera, The Arts Council of Wales and digital arts agency The Space.
As a consultant his clients have included the University of Oxford Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, Bradford City of Culture 2025, ITV, British Film Institute, British Council and he was a Commissioner of the 2022 LGA report, Cornerstones of Culture.
Starting out in broadcasting in the 1980s, Andrew belongs to the first pioneering generation of disabled presenters of British television and produced and directed BAFTA nominated tv documentaries. He later became the first wheelchair user to run a major UK arts venue at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff.
Andrew was the UK Government’s first Disability Champion for Arts & Culture, establishing the role as a powerful campaigning platform for greater inclusion across the arts, museums and film. In 2020 he co-founded the UK Disability Arts Alliance, #WeShallNotBeRemoved to support disabled artists through the pandemic and he co-authored the Seven Inclusive Principles that helped shape the cultural recovery.
Sarah Pickthall, Co-chair of Access All Areas Productions
Sarah Pickthall is fascinated by the spaces that unite and divide us all and her work is centred on ensuring that disabled people’s voices and natural leadership qualities are built into strategic thinking and action in arts and culture. Sarah co-founded the disabled-led leadership and coaching programme, Sync Leadership in 2008 with Jo Verrent and currently directs its programme globally.
Sarah is the co-chair of Access All Areas Productions, an NPO in London, alongside Charlene Salter. Access All Areas shares leadership with autistic and learning disabled artist professionals on principle. An experienced accredited coach, coach supervisor and leadership specialist, Sarah spent 5 years helming the Inclusive Cultures programme for Clore Leadership.
Mark Robinson, Founder, Thinking Practice
Mark founded Thinking Practice in 2010, to write, facilitate, coach, evaluate and advise across the cultural sector. Future Arts Centre published Tactics for the Tightrope: Creative Resilience For Creative Communities in 2021. He is interested in evaluation as a shared creative process, and a way of thinking collectively.
Mark was previously Executive Director, North East at Arts Council England. He ran festivals, poetry publishers, arts organisations and worked in adult education after an early career in restaurants. Mark is also a widely anthologised poet whose Selected Poems, How I Learned to Sing was published by Smokestack Books. His new collection, The Infinite Town, takes its title from a public poem installed on Stockton High Street, and was published by Smokestack Books in 2024.
Anna Rowe, Arts Consultant
Anna Rowe is an experienced strategic arts consultant and leader. From 2019 to June 2026 she was the Project Director for Figurative Philanthropy for Arts & Culture whose Arts for Impact fund has raised £8.8 m from individuals in three matched funding campaigns. She also has a busy freelance consultancy career.
Past leadership roles include Chief Executive of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, General Manager of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Executive Director of Yellow Barn Music School & Festival in the US. Current and recent consultancy clients have included The Kathleen Ferrier Awards, Royal Borough of Kingston, The Rayne Foundation, Askonas Holt, the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival, Kings Place, the PRS Foundation and Rich Mix. She is chairman of RIAC UK, former chair of the Alexander Whitley Dance Company, and a trustee of the Coln Trust. Anna studied mathematics at the University of Oxford and began her career at the investment bank UBS. She also holds a masters in Cultural Policy and Leadership from City University.
Charlene Salter, Co- Chair, Access All Areas
Charlene graduated from the first cohort of the Performance Making Diploma at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2014.
As an actress, her TV credits include ‘Eastenders’ (2026) ‘Doctors’ (2015) and ‘Casualty’ (2017) for the BBC. As an Access All Areas’ Associate Artist, she co-created and performed in ‘Imposter 22’ (Royal Court, 2023) and ‘unReal City’ (UK tour, 2020-22) in collaboration with dreamthinkspeak, and ‘The Interrogation’ (UK tour, 2021). She also appeared in Mind the Gap’s ZARA (2019).
Charlene is co-chairperson of Access All Areas. She was part of the Freelance Task Force during the pandemic and has spoken on multiple governance panels championing accessible board practice. She now chairs the Deaf and Disabled Leaders Network and regularly attends TV Access Project’s working groups.
Moira Sinclair, Chair, Factory International & Chair, Clore Leadership
Moira Sinclair was Chief Executive of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, one of the UK’s largest independent grant makers from 2015 to early 2025 .
An experienced cultural leader, Moira is Chair of Clore Leadership and Chair of Factory International in Manchester. She is also a trustee of National Landscapes and the National Theatre Foundation and she chairs the Investment Committee for the Arts Impact Fund. In 2022, she became an Honorary Fellow at the Exeter Centre for Leadership. She was previously Chair of the London Mayor’s Cultural Strategy Board and a member of the British Library Advisory Council
As Executive Director London and South East for Arts Council England for nearly 10 years, she oversaw a portfolio of 322 funded cultural organisations and contributed to national policy development, with a particular focus on the resilience and sustainability of the cultural sector and workforce development. She played a key role supporting the cultural programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and continues to support its legacy at home and internationally.
Prof Mark Simpson, Incoming Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Teesside University
Professor Simpson is Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Teesside University. He graduated from Teesside University with a degree in Politics and a PhD in Criminology. He has written and researched in the fields of Youth Crime, Criminal Justice and Drug Use. Professor Simpson was previously Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Business & Law and then Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).
Professor Mark Simpson has an international reputation and is known for his work in educational digital transformation. He is a regular keynote speaker at international learning and teaching conferences and was awarded Adobe’s Digital Literacy Thought Leader. He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (FRSA).
Professor Mark Simpson will assume the role of Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University on 1 September 2026.
Jo Verrent, Director, Unlimited
Jo is the director of Unlimited – which exists to change and challenge the world through commissioning disabled artists to create extraordinary work.
Since 2013, Unlimited has supported over 556 artists with over £7.6 million, reaching audiences of over 9 million.
Jo has an MBE and also a cup for making jam. She is on the National Council for ACE and the oversight group for Arts, Fundraising and Philanthropy.
Bill Vince, Senior Relationship Manager, Arts Council England
Bill Vince is a Senior Relationship Manager at Arts Council England (ACE).
Bill graduated from Leicester Polytechnic with a degree in Performing Arts and then began a career as a drummer/percussionist and composer/songwriter based in Sheffield while working as a community musician and workshop leader on over 150 music and dance projects across England and Europe.
Moving into project management, Bill led the UK’s 1st ever £1million Music Project: Sounding Out for Yorkshire Youth and Music, offering opportunities for young people in challenging circumstances. As Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival’s Education Director, he won the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Best Education Work for his Engagement Programme for the Festival.
Bill led on Youth Dance Strategy for Youth Dance England and Yorkshire Dance before joining ACE in 2011 as Senior Manager for Funding Programmes.
Bill currently manages a team of specialist Relationship Managers and leads for ACE North on international partnerships and on capital investment. He also leads place-based working across the Tees Valley Combined Authority area. He still plays the drums.
Vici Wreford-Sinnott, Artistic Director, Little Cog
Vici Wreford-Sinnott is a leading figure in the UK Disability Arts Movement, passionately campaigning for the cultural equity of disabled people for over thirty years. She is the founding artistic director of internationally acclaimed North East based Little Cog which is a disabled-led production company. Vici is a disabled theatre and TV writer and director, and in 2021 she was commissioned by the BBC to write and make her short film Hen Night. It is one of the first pieces of broadcast television drama by a disabled women-led team in the UK, and has been seen by over a million people worldwide. Her theatre work tours nationally and she is founding Festival Director of Our Stomping Grounds Festival in Teesside now in its fourth year. Vici is a PhD practice-based candidate researching Radical Acts: Disabled Women Performing, and is a world-leading expert on the subject of disability representation in performance. Vici is a highly respected disability equality strategist and has shared her model of disabled-led art in mainstream cultural settings across the world. She recently returned to performance in touring show UNRULY, celebrating and telling a story of older disabled women from the disability rights and arts movements and activism. She is a recipient of the North East Art and Culture Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts.
We are delighted to be part of Luton Arts Support, a new partnership that brings together Clore Leadership, Revoluton Arts, The Culture Trust Luton and Luton Arts to strengthen and connect the town’s creative community. As an organisation whose headquarters are in Luton, we are especially proud to be supporting the creative community right on our doorstep.
The collaboration offers Luton’s artists, producers and creative practitioners an accessible route to development support. The programme will combine leadership development, tailored one-to-one creative advice, and networking and professional development opportunities.
What Clore Leadership is doing
Through Luton Arts Support, we’ll be offering a programme of activities and opportunities exclusively for cultural professionals working in Luton, helping them to lead, collaborate and shape the future of culture in their town. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be releasing details of these activities and how to book your spot.
We’ll be holding a friendly introductory event on Wednesday 9th September, 1 – 2.30pm at Hat Factory Studio, Luton, where you can find out more about Clore Leadership and the work we’ll be delivering as part of the programme.
Click here for further information about the event and details on how to book.
The wider offer
Alongside our leadership development opportunities, the partnership will provide:
- Free tailored 1-to-1 creative support from Revoluton Arts
- Networking and professional development opportunities hosted by The Culture Trust at Hat Works, creating space for collaboration and peer learning
A shared vision
Luton Arts Support is about removing barriers and levelling the playing field, making opportunities, information and practical support visible and accessible to everyone.
Click here to find out more about the Luton Arts Support programme.
Luton Arts Support is supported by Luton Arts, a two-year programme funded by Arts Council England, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Luton Rising, and delivered by the Arts and Culture Strategy Group (ACSG).
“We are so pleased to be part of Luton Arts Support, a partnership that brings together expertise, opportunity and local knowledge to strengthen Luton’s creative community. At Clore Leadership, we believe great cultural leadership exists in every community, and this hub creates an important gateway for access to development, connections and opportunities. Together with our partners, we’re proud to help more people build the confidence, skills and relationships needed to lead, collaborate and shape the future of culture in Luton.”
Katherine Osborn, Head of Partnerships and Impact, Clore Leadership
For enquiries, images and interview requests contact Rebecca Usher:
E: communications@cloreleadership.org
Asymmetric Workforce: the growing reality that people within the same organisation can experience work, leadership, opportunity and belonging very differently. Understanding this asymmetry is increasingly critical to leadership effectiveness, retention, personal impact and organisational resilience.
Clore Leadership and Green Park have partnered to explore the leadership challenges, recruitment pressures and organisational changes facing arts, culture and creative organisations today.
We know many organisations are navigating a more complex environment: constrained funding, changing audience expectations, new demands on leaders, uneven access to opportunity, and the challenge of building inclusive organisations that can attract, retain and develop the right people.
This short survey should take around 5 minutes and will help us all understand current market drivers in the area of inclusive leadership and talent:
- which leadership and board roles are hardest to recruit or sustain
- how inclusion and representation affect leadership pipelines
- where organisations are feeling pressure in attracting, retaining and developing leaders
- how workforce asymmetry is showing up in practice
- what kinds of support, insight or leadership development would be most useful
Your responses will help inform Clore Leadership’s future thinking, support and programme design, as well as Green Park’s understanding and benchmarking of current attitudes and good practices in the sector. All responses will be treated in confidence and used only for research and service development purposes.
THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED – THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
Privacy notice
Clore Leadership & Green Park will collect your information for the purposes of research and service development only. No personal information will be shared with third parties. Our wider Privacy Notice can be found here.
Clore Leadership is delighted to welcome three new appointments to its Board. E-J Scott, Senior Lecturer, Central Saint Martins (UAL) and Founder of the Museum of Transology; Justin Spooner, Co-founder and Director of Unthinkable; and Bengi Ünsal, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).
They join a dynamic Board of cultural leaders chaired by Moira Sinclair OBE, who support Clore Leadership’s mission to inspire and equip leaders across the arts, culture and creative sectors to make a positive impact on society through great leadership of culture.
The appointments come at a critical moment for cultural leadership. Leaders across the sector are responding to rapid technological change, increasing financial pressures, shifts in workforce expectations, the realities facing freelancers and artists, and growing expectations around equity, inclusion and representation. They are also navigating a changing public and political environment, while sustaining organisations, audiences and communities through uncertainty.
The Board ensures Clore Leadership stays at the forefront of the issues that matter most to the sector, ensuring that leadership support reflects the realities of leading culture now and in the future. Together, E-J, Justin and Bengi bring deep expertise in digital innovation, organisational transformation, contemporary culture, participation and inclusion that will strengthen Clore Leadership’s ability to meet the evolving needs of the sector.
Moira Sinclair, Chair of Clore Leadership, said:
“I offer a very warm welcome to our incoming trustees as well as grateful thanks to those who have completed their terms recently. Clore Leadership’s mission — to strengthen leadership across the arts, culture and heritage — depends on the commitment and expertise of people who truly believe in its importance and want to give something back, and we are fortunate to have individuals of such calibre joining us at this time.”
E-J Scott, Senior Lecturer, Central Saint Martins (UAL) and Founder of the Museum of Transology, said:
“The UK’s cultural sector is at a precarious, if not historic, juncture. Cultural leaders are navigating challenges of increasing complexity, from funding and freedom of expression to the impact of rapidly advancing technologies. Clore Leadership continues to play a vital role in equipping them with the confidence to think critically and act with clarity. I am honoured to contribute to the organisation’s mission to support the next generation of leaders, ensuring the UK’s cultural sector is ambitiously stewarded and remains internationally relevant and at the forefront of creative practice.”
Justin Spooner, Co-founder and Director of Unthinkable, said:
“It is with great excitement that I am joining the Clore Leadership Trustee Board, an organisation that I have known and deeply respected for some years. I feel that their work is essential for supporting our country’s idiosyncratic cultural ecosystem and the talented people that work in it. I hope to bring my background and expertise in digital arts, culture and creativity to support the next phase of communal connectivity, ideas exchange, and learning opportunities that Clore Leadership is so well known for.”
Bengi Ünsal, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), said:
“I’m honoured to join Clore Leadership as a Trustee at a time when investing in confident, resilient and inclusive cultural leadership feels more critical than ever. I look forward to working alongside the Board and team to support its vital work in strengthening leadership capacity and helping shape a more sustainable and equitable future for the cultural sector.”
Contact
For enquiries, images and interview requests, contact Rebecca Usher:
E: communications@cloreleadership.org
We’re thrilled to be partnering on Empowering Curators with Art Fund, this is a vital and timely programme supporting global majority leaders in the museums and galleries sector.
“The Empowering Curators programme is of its time – strategic, ambitious, thoughtful and focused. It draws together key sector partners, learning from the past, and contemporary perspectives, to make a sustained investment in the future of curatorial leadership.” – Hilary Carty OBE
Today, in partnership with Clore Leadership and the Cultural Governance Alliance, Arts Council England have published a new guide to support working relationships between Chairs and Chief Executives across the arts and cultural sector.
Developed by Fiona Allan, this resource provides practical advice, tools and templates to help organisations strengthen governance at the top of cultural institutions.
You can find out more information on the guidance by reading this article by Fiona Allan in The Stage.
Clore Leadership in partnership with The Cultural Governance Alliance (CGA) are excited to announce the launch of a new governance EDI Benchmarking Tool. We’re committed to helping organisations embed equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into their governance practices and have developed a practical tool to help you move from intention to impact and create tangible change. The tool has been developed in collaboration with Clore Leadership Governance Associate, Keith Arrowsmith.
The tool’s development and launch has been supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
I found the (benchmarking tool) exercise valuable for identifying areas for improvement and board effectiveness.
Diversifying Governance Cohort Member
Benchmarks are invaluable governance tools that provide quantitative measures to track progress, identify opportunities, and set strategic direction. Our EDI Benchmarking Tool is designed to help your board review its performance and set goals relating to EDI policies and processes.
While a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t suitable for EDI, good governance supports transparency and consistency. This particular tool will help you assess whether your governance arrangements actively encourage a diverse board, rather than directly measuring your organisation’s current diversity.
After undertaking initial benchmarking, the tool will provide a score across different aspects of EDI in your governance, along with insights and free resources to help you work on the areas you’re seeking to improve. To support accountability, you will then be invited to revisit the tool to reassess progress on a timeline that suits your organisation.
I especially liked the final aspect of the benchmarking as I could actually see how this could be applied in our organisation and with the work across the EDI strategy and policy straight away working across all levels.
Diversifying Governance Training Day Participant
Arts Professional: Art Fund leader demands ‘laser-like focus’ on creative subjects in schools
In a panel, hosted by Creative UK at the Labour Party Conference, entitled Creative Learners, Future Leaders: A Curriculum for Growth, representatives from the likes of the National Theatre and Music Mark discussed issues including the sector skills gap. Read more.
Art Fund calls for creative learning and school visits to be embedded into the curriculum. Read more.
Campaign for the Arts: Labour Conference 2025 explainer. Read more.
The Art Newspaper: Town of Culture competition will highlight ‘creativity, history and identity’, says UK government. The newly announced initiative follows the popular City of Culture scheme, which has been running since 2013. Read more.
Exeter University: Pioneering placemaking and regional identity in the creative industries foregrounded at the Labour Party Conference. Read more.
Blog: A National Recovery by Aleksander Szram, Artistic Director at Trinity Laban. Read more.
Equity: Support collective bargaining in the arts” Equity urges government. Read more.
Arts Professional: Nandy launches UK Town of Culture competition to tell ‘working-class’ stories. The contest is to complement the success of the existing UK City of Culture scheme, the government says. Read more.
Musician’s Union: MU General Secretary Addresses Artificial Intelligence and Music Streaming at Labour Party Conference. Read more.
Following a competitive selection process, the chosen initiatives stood out for their creativity, strong local relevance, and potential for meaningful and lasting impact. They each demonstrate clear alignment with the programme’s aims and themes, and together represent a rich mix of geographies, approaches, and leadership practices.
Roots and Reach supports Clore Leadership’s International Alumni to design and deliver community-rooted projects that connect cultural practice with global perspectives. The programme provides resources, mentorship, and peer learning, enabling leaders to strengthen their leadership skills while making a difference in their home contexts.
The five selected projects are:
- Manal Ataya, Sharjah Museums Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Project title: Leadership & Wellbeing: A Micro-Series
The Leadership and Wellbeing programme, led by Dr. Louise Lambert and co-facilitated by Manal Ataya, is a women-only initiative designed to enhance emotional literacy, strengthen stress management, and foster healthier workplace dynamics.
Over the course of three months, participants will engage in a series of interactive sessions that explore happiness, emotional regulation, relational patterns, and the power of art as a therapeutic tool. The programme will also incorporate art therapy workshops, offering creative avenues for participants to process emotions and reduce stress. The safe and supportive environment will enable women to share and reflect on their wellbeing, while addressing workplace challenges that impact leadership effectiveness.
Through pre- and post-assessments, the programme will measure its impact, equipping participants with practical tools and resources to enhance their professional performance, interpersonal relationships, and overall wellbeing. The programme can host up to 30 participants in onsite or online formats.
- Vicky Fung, Every Life is a Song Limited with Susanna Chung & Wiki Lo, Hong Kong
Project title: Coaching for Cultural Leadership in Hong Kong
Coaching for Cultural Leadership in Hong Kong is an initiative by Clore Fellows Susanna Chung, Vicky Fung, and Wan Ki Lo, aimed at empowering mid-career cultural leaders through transformative coaching practices. This project introduces coaching as a vital leadership tool to build resilience and help the sector navigate challenges in an evolving creative landscape. A one-day workshop will introduce coaching as a leadership practice, supported by a Chinese-language workbook tailored to Hong Kong’s cultural context. A Community Sharing and Networking Day fosters cross-sector dialogue and peer learning that builds a more supportive leadership community in Hong Kong. This pilot also serves as a research basis for evaluating coaching practices in Hong Kong, with potential for future expansion.
Deepti Navaratna, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, India
Project title: Indian Cultural Diplomacy Leadership & Advocacy Group: Culturati
Deepti proposes establishing Culturati, a research and advocacy group to address leadership gaps in India’s cultural diplomacy. India’s current framework suffers from institutional fragmentation, limited civic participation, and weak integration of cultural policy with foreign policy. Culturati will create an inclusive platform bringing together artists, policymakers, and scholars to generate policy-relevant knowledge, connect cultural diplomacy with the creative economy, and strengthen India’s international cultural presence. Anchored at NIAS, the initiative will deliver a cultural diplomacy research monitor, three annual conclaves, and a policy brief in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, fostering leadership in reimagining India’s global cultural engagement.
- Amayah Pelegrin, The Field Società Cooperativa, Trieste, Italy
Project title: Cultural Power
Bringing together cultural leaders in Trieste (north-east Italy) for three leadership development days, Cultural Power aims to share best practice and build capacity for place-based and culturally-led climate action to flourish locally. Hosted by the Museum of the Bora, the programme will take place in the context of the GO2025 Capital of Culture and the launch of Italy’s first national report on cultural climate action. Amayah will aim to network cultural leaders with potential collaborators from the civil and public sectors, share knowledge and build skills around place-based climate action, engage with policymakers, and articulate how culture can drive social and ecological transition.
- Anurupa Roy, Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust, New Delhi, India
Project title: Jugaad – Mapping Socially Engaged Arts Practice for Future Leadership in India
Socially Engaged Art/Art for Social Change/Applied Art is a political/social practice widely unmapped and often misunderstood within the wider Indian cultural landscape. A nation that is more familiar with ‘traditional heritage arts practices’ and gallery/museum-led practices, those leading in an SEA landscape are often dispersed, isolated and unseen and, due to the vastness of the country, unable to travel to see and learn from one another’s leadership journeys.
They will work accessibly through digital practice to collaboratively map leaders (current and emergent), understand practice needs, give skills and network them together for a stronger SEA sector leadership in India with global reach.
Through a pan-India online offer (webinars, pecha kuchas, mentoring, workshops), they will bring leaders together to contextualise their practice, network, map challenges/solutions, and create vital systems for knowledge-share and care, promoting resilience.
Clore Leadership will support the delivery of these proposals between now and March 2026.
This programme is kindly funded by the British Council.
Find out more about the Roots and Reach programme.