Board
Peter Stark OBE – Chair
Peter has had a long and distinguished career in arts administration with a particular focus on projects and programmes that promoted participation. His earliest work was in the Arts Laboratory and Arts Centre movement in the 60s and 70s, before developing his interest in cultural policy at local, regional and national level during the 80s as a lecturer in Arts Management at City University and then with the Council of Regional Arts Associations and as Director of Northern Arts in his native NE of England.
At Northern Arts he introduced policy-led programme budgeting, new partnerships with local authorities and developed the capital strategy that led to the culture-led regeneration of Tyneside. He was a member of Richard Luce’s committee established to review the national arts funding system and was awarded the OBE for his work for the arts in the North.
In the early 90s, Peter spent two years as Development Director of the Voluntary Arts Network, establishing its first policy framework (Strengthening Foundations) and a UK funding base with the four national Arts Councils. He then returned to the NE and Gateshead Council to work on the development phases of The Baltic, The Millennium Bridge and The Sage Gateshead.
Since 2000, initially as Professor of Cultural Policy and Management at Northumbria University, Peter has been based in South Africa working in Inner City Johannesburg and then in the Eastern Cape where he established his company – Cultures in Regeneration – and The Swallows Partnership, which links that province of the new country to North East England.
Peter has always been a singer, beginning in church and with his grandfather and father (both members of the Blaydon Male Voice Choir) before discovering the richness of the English Traditions. Fifty years ago, he was an early member of the People’s Youth Theatre in Newcastle – the seminal experience of his teenage years.
“Taking part in the arts has been at the heart of my journey to self-knowledge and to an understanding of other people, other cultures and other times. It is a route to joy and humility.”
Peter has been Chair of Voluntary Arts since October 2011.
Colm Croffy – Vice Chair
Colm is Executive Director of the Association of Irish Festivals and Events (AOIFE). He serves as a Director of the World International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and serves as the Hon. Treasurer of International Festivals and Events – Europe. Formerly Co-coordinator for Ballinasloe Fair and Festival – one of the largest festival and heritage events in the West of Ireland, he now is involved with The Rose of Tralee – one of Ireland’s longest running televised festivals based in Kerry in the South West.
Colm started his career in Communications and Students Union before becomming an Arts Assistant for the University of Limerick, went on to be the Director of the Mary from Dungloe Festival in Donegal and then the Chief Executive of Ballinasloe Chamber of Commerce. Since 2001 he has been a consultant specialising in media, marketing and event management.
Geraint Lewis – Treasurer
Jonathan Cochrane – Voluntary Arts England Chair
As well as a long and illustrious career in amateur youth theatre, in particular at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham, Jonathan specialised in Theatre Arts and the flute at Bretton Hall (University of Leeds), the National Youth Theatre, and with Philippe Gaulier, Lilo Baur, Kevin Gowland (previously principle flute with the CBSO), and the Academy of St Phillips. He has a Dip HE from Birmingham University in Community Youth and Play Studies.
He worked for eight years as the Area Youth Arts Worker for Ladywood and Perry Barr Youth Services in Birmingham where work included exchange projects between multi cultural groups of young people and Barcelona, Tamil Nadhu and Israel. Additionally he worked freelance for amongst other organisations Birmingham University, Sure Start, Language Alive, Mac, Birmingham Rep and the Warwick Arts Centre. Jonathan is currently Arts and Events Manager for Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils where work has included the development of the £700,000 AiR Festival 2005 project in Redditch. He sits on the board of Audiences Central and till 2009 the National Association of Local Government Arts Officers. In addition Jonathan previously chaired the Worcestershire Local Authority Arts Partnership and the NPO Shindig. He currently also sits on the steering group for the West Midlands Culture and Sport Improvement Network.
Stephen Brown – Voluntary Arts Ireland Chair
Robin Osterley – Voluntary Arts Link Chair
Robin is Chief Executive of Making Music, the UK’s largest voluntary arts membership association. He sings in various choirs, conducts Stevenage Choral Society, and occasionally plays percussion in amateur orchestras (occasionally).
“Arts participation connects communities, is responsible for people’s wellbeing, offers social opportunities amongst people with shared interests, and is great fun!”
David McLellan – Voluntary Arts Scotland Chair
Hamish Fyfe – Voluntary Arts Wales Chair
Sue Isherwood
Sue runs an independent cultural consultancy –C3, specialising in strategy development, leading change and facilitation for problem solving across the culture and voluntary sectors. For 11 years she worked in local government, developing cultural strategy and delivering major programmes around creative industries, arts education and rural regeneration. She is currently managing Leading Learning, a leadership programme for senior culture and leisure services officers on behalf of the National Culture Forum.
From 2002 to 2007, Sue was Chair and Strategic Lead for the National Association of Local Government Arts Officers (nalgao – now Arts Development UK). Before that she worked mainly at national level for such organisations as The Arts Council, The British Film Institute and the Royal Photographic Society
Since the mid 70’s she has taught on cultural and women’s studies and arts policy courses at a number of universities and has managed arts organisations in the literature, media and education sectors.
Sue is particularly passionate about getting people to participate in any way that works for them. For herself she plays the piano (not for public consumption), cooks, takes photographs and is a village hall promoter. She is also a board member of Western Community Leisure and several small media, social interest and women’s health organisations in the South West.
Marilyn Lovett
Having taught quilting for 16 years and started Scrap Happy Quilters 15 years ago, Marilyn is now present President of the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles.
“Having any hobby is crucial to the well being of the person. It helps to keep the life balance between the necessary and the enjoyment of life. I just happen to be passionate about quilting and like to open the door for others to see the delights inside. The same applies to every art and craft. It is not just a question of doing these things on your own, but sharing the passion and the joy that activities bring along with the companionship of people with similar interests.”
Ian Beckett
Ian Beckett’s involvement in the Arts began in earnest when at the age of 13 he played the Artful Dodger in an amateur production of ‘Oliver!’ in his home town of Harlow, although records show he was ‘directing and producing plays’ at primary school.
With a background in finance and business, Ian worked as a Theatre In Education Administrator before moving to Arts Council England where he worked for 13 years. It was during that time Ian first became associated with Voluntary Arts.
Ian is currently employed as a Lifelong Learning Project Worker for ASLEF, the train drivers’ union. Ian says “the link is an obvious one – it’s all about transforming and enriching people’s lives – something I’m committed to and passionate about”
John Smythe
Louise de Winter
Louise de Winter is Chief Executive of The Urology Foundation, a medical charity sponsoring research and training. She was previously Director of the National Campaign for the Arts where she was responsible for the strategic leadership and development of the organisation, fundraising and the effective delivery of campaigns.
Louise was responsible for raising the profile of the NCA, making it a respected source of information for both the media and opinion formers. During her tenure at the NCA Gordon Brown, then Prime Minister, held a reception at 10 Downing Street in honour of the NCA and celebrating the arts and arts philanthropists, the NCA launched the Manifesto for the Arts in anticipation of the 2010 General Election and held arts hustings with the three main political party arts spokespeople. She also laid the groundwork for the UK Arts Index in partnership with David Brownlee of Audiences UK.
She is a highly experienced Chief Executive with excellent knowledge of the charities and public sector and an in-depth understanding of government priorities and the media.
Philip Watson
Aled Rhys-Jones