16th June 2022
Image: Marie-Anne McQay, new Arts&Heritage Director of Projects
Arts&Heritage has announced the appointment of a new Director of Projects and three new Board members as the company celebrates its 10th anniversary year.
Marie-Anne McQuay, formerly Head of Programme at the Bluecoat, Liverpool, joins Arts&Heritage in the newly established role of Director of Projects, while Madiha Bakir, Daniel Carpenter and Colin Seymour join Arts&Heritage’s Board of Directors.
Arts&Heritage CEO, Stephanie Allen, said:
“We have been marking our 10th anniversary this year, celebrating the achievements we have had in forging inspiring creative relationships between artists, museums and communities. These new appointments will ensure our team can put in place plans for our next exciting phase, building on the solid foundations created by our founders Judith King and Timandra Nichols.
“The new team members have added a range of networks and expertise that will support our work as an international organisation that innovates creative collaborations and conversations with a broad range of people about how heritage and history shapes who we are and who we could be.”
In her new role as part of Arts&Heritage’s 10-strong team, Marie-Anne McQuay will lead on Arts&Heritage’s commissioning activity, presenting contemporary art in new and unexpected environments and online. She will work alongside Andrea Hawkins, who is taking on a new role as Director of Programmes, overseeing the organisation’s Meeting Point programme, which supports small and medium scale museums to commission artists, forging new relationships between the contemporary arts and heritage sectors.
Before joining the Bluecoat, Liverpool, Marie-Anne was Curator at Spike Island, Bristol, and guest international curator for Wales in Venice 2019 with artist Sean Edwards and Tŷ Pawb. She has worked with artists including Elizabeth Price, Laure Prouvost and Sonia Boyce.
Marie-Anne said:
“I am delighted to be joining Arts&Heritage as their new Director of Projects during their 10th anniversary celebrations. I look forward to working across the UK and internationally with CEO Stephanie Allen and the team as they engage artists with historic sites, landscapes, and communities, as well as exploring the stories we will all uncover together.”
Madiha Bakir joins the Arts&Heritage Board as a new Board member. Madiha started her career in consulting at PwC London and has worked as a Board and Executive Advisor to charities, companies and government entities. Most recently, she transitioned to the arts world and worked as a freelance artist and independent curator in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She returns to the UK after several years of working in culturally diverse environments across Europe and the Middle East. Madiha combines risk, finance, business development and strategy expertise with a solid understanding of governance, change leadership and business transformation.
Madiha said:
“I am thrilled to join the Arts&Heritage Board and look forward to working with the organisation at this exciting time in its growth journey.”
Daniel Carpenter has worked in the arts, crafts and heritage sectors for over 15 years. He is currently Director of Heritage Crafts, the charitable organisation set up to celebrate and safeguard traditional craft skills in the UK, of which he was one of the founders in 2009. He also spent nine years working for Creative Lives (formerly Voluntary Arts) which exists to promote active participation in everyday creativity. He is an Ambassador of The Fathom Trust, which promotes health and healing by creating opportunities for people to participate in the conservation of traditional crafts, landscapes, and cultures.
Colin Seymour has over 20 years’ project management experience in Central Government, Local Authority, Higher Education and Further Education settings. He was previously a Board Member for the Chartered Management Institute’s London Region. In his spare time, Colin works as a Senior Post Graduate Teaching Assistant for a Sustainable Heritage course and undertakes pro bono project management work for Desire2Win, a transformational programme for disadvantaged young people and their families. Colin is studying part-time for a PhD in Sustainable Heritage, researching sustainable heritage business models.
Original founders, Judith King and Timandra Nichols, both remain involved with Arts&Heritage; Timandra remains on the Board and Judith is Artistic Advisor.