Trustees
Rob Dickins CBE Chairman
Spent four decades in the music industry, chairing both Warner Bros Music Publishing and Warner Records for most of them. More recently he started an independent music company, Instant Karma. He was Chairman of the UK Recording Industry trade body, the BPI from 1986 to 1988 and then again from 1997 to 2002. He also chaired The Brit Awards and The Classical Music Committee and conceived the Classical Brits TV programme. Between 2002 and 2007, he chaired the National Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green and steered it via HLF funding through planning, closure and refurbishment to a successful re-opening. His love of heritage and the Arts led to him being appointed as a Trustee of the V&A Museum (2000 to 2007) and of the Watts Gallery (2004 to date). His business history brought him to the Board of VAE, the commercial wing of the V&A (2001 to 2009). He is a founding Trustee of the National Foundation of Youth Music. He is a Visiting Professor at both the University Of The Arts and London Metropolitan University. He was awarded a CBE for services to the music industry in 2002. Appointed Chairman of The Theatres Trust 1 February 2009.
Jason Barnes
Formerly Associate Production Manager at the Cottesloe Theatre at the National Theatre. Has acted, toured and worked in theatres throughout Britain and overseas, as well as lecturing regularly and contributing to many publications. Appointed September 2004.
Dr Phil Clark
Dr Phil Clark has worked extensively in the UK and Europe as a Theatre Director. He was a founder member of Theatr Powys, Wales and Bruvvers Theatre Newcastle Upon Tyne. He was a Director at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield and from 1990 to 2006 he was Artistic Director of the Sherman Theatre Cardiff where he prioritised work for and with young people and commissioned over 100 new plays. He was a member of the BBC Broadcasting Council in Wales. His work has been presented in most of the theatres in Wales and he teaches regularly at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and for the National Association of Youth Theatres. He now works as a free-lance theatre director and writer. Appointed as The Theatres Trust’s Welsh Trustee in July 2008.
Marilyn Cutts
Actress and singer. Founder member and frequent performer in Fascinating Aida. Her wide range of roles in theatre, television and radio includes cabaret and musicals as well as straight drama. Equity Deputy on various shows since 1988. Appointed September 2004.
Venu Dhupa
An activist and consultant in the arts and cultural field. Former posts have been at the British Council, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, the National Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse She is an active member of the European Cultural Parliament and a Patron of the Asha Foundation. Appointed June 2002.
Tim Foster MA Dip Arch (Cantab) RIBA
Tim Foster is the senior partner in Tim Foster Architects, the practice which he established in 1979. Over a period of 30 years he has been responsible for the design and remodelling of over forty different theatres, from low cost conversions to major refurbishments and new buildings. The practice works with a wide range of clients, including commercial theatre owners, professional theatre companies, local authorities and educational organisations. He is chairman of the ABTT Theatre Planning Committee, represents the UK on the OISTAT Architecture Commission and is a board member of the Tricycle Theatre Company. Appointed January 2009.
Penelope Keith CBE DL
Her theatre career began in repertory prior to joining the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon and the Aldwych Theatre, London. She has toured extensively throughout the United Kingdom in theatrical productions as actor, director and producer. Her first appearance in the West End was in 1968. Her most recent appearance being in 2008. Penelope Keith served on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for six years, and is President of the Actors’ Benevolent Fund. She served as High Sheriff of Surrey in 2002-2003 and is now a Deputy Lieutenant of the County. She was appointed CBE in 2007. Appointed July 2008.
Dr Pauleen Lane CBE
Studied Civil Engineering at Manchester University where she now teaches on the geotechnics Masters for the Built Environment Group. Awarded the CBE for services to local government in 2005 she is currently an elected Member of Trafford MBC. As a councillor, she was lead member for the Waterside Arts Centre project and the Imperial War Museum North and served on the design panel for the Lowry Centre Bridge. At English Partnerships she was a Board Member from 2001-2005 and Deputy Chair from 2005-2008, and between 2001-2005 was a Board Member on North West Development Agency. Pauleen currently serves on the board of the Coal Authority as Chair of the Environment Group. Other activities have included being a NW Regional Charitable Trustee for Lloyds TSB Foundation for six years, helping to found the Trafford United Credit Union, and serving on the Institution of Civil Engineers: Future Framework Group and the Community Awards NW Panel. She enjoys promoting civil engineering locally, regionally and nationally. Appointed January 2009.
Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
Life Peer 1999. Previous posts in the arts include Executive Director of the Royal National Theatre; Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House; Casting Director Senior Administrator, and Associate Producer of the RSC. Board member of the Roundhouse Trust, National Opera Studio, and also RADA. Appointed September 2002.
Anne McReynolds
Chief Executive of the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) in Belfast, where she is responsible for all aspects of detailed business planning, human resources, legal, licensing, information systems and governance issues and artistic development in partnership with Northern Ireland’s arts producers (2009 to date). Prior to this, she worked as Development Officer for Belfast Community Circus before joining the Old Museum Arts Centre as Director, where she was responsible for artistic visioning, financial control and building management (1991 to 2006). In 2006, she became Project Director responsible for delivering The MAC, Belfast’s new arts centre. This project involved her liaising with Northern Irelands’s performing and visual arts sector, the appointment, through an international open design competition, of the Integrated Design Team to design the building, and fundraising for the capital costs of The MAC. She is Trustee of Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (2008 to date). Appointed November 2009.
Matthew Rooke
Co Founder and Director of Scottish Cultural Enterprise Ltd, an independent management consultancy, focusing on project management and implementation practice, working with a wide range of National, Regional and Local Government Agencies as well as NDPBs and other bodies involved in the Cultural sector (1998 to date). Prior to this, he was a professional bass player and composer before joining the Arts Council England as Music Officer (1987 to 1989). In 1991, he joined the Scottish Arts Council as Music and then Group Director with responsibility for the design and delivery of annual multi-million pound Government public funding programmes in Scotland in respect of the Performing Arts. He is a Director of Arthouse UK group which rescues and restores Category A listed buildings for use as cultural centres. Appointed November 2009.
Chris Shepley CBE
Planning consultant. Previously the Government’s Chief Planning Inspector, and holder of senior planning posts in Manchester and Plymouth. Chairman of the Bath Festivals Trust until April 2006. Appointed September 2003.
Sam Shrouder
Co-founder of the Wychwood World Music Festival. Board member of Ellen Kent’s Ballet and Opera International and also on the Board of Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre . Formerly Chief Executive of Apollo Leisure, becoming Chairman of the UK Theatrical Division when Apollo was bought by Clear Channel Entertainment. Appointed October 2004.
Ben Twist
Theatre director and producer; carbon management consultant. Member of the Joint Board of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen and Chair of the Scottish Arts Council National Lottery Committee. Previously Artistic Director of Contact Theatre, Manchester and before that Associate Director of the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Appointed as The Theatres Trust’s Scottish Trustee in October 2007.
