Staff & Trustees
Staff
Board
Stephanie Allen
Stephanie has over 20 years’ experience working as a producer, creative director and project manager. She has worked on a huge variety of artist-led projects for Artsadmin, Peak Cymru and the Hayward Gallery as well as enabling and supporting site-responsive projects nationally and internationally as a freelance producer. This is twinned with significant business planning, partnership management, fundraising and strategic development roles across the arts and cultural sector including positions at Arts Council England, The Geffrye Museum, the Sidney Nolan Trust and Creative United as Head of Strategic Development. Whilst at Creative United, she undertook commissioned research in partnership with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and The London Mayor’s Office as well as leading on partnership development and the strategic development of the national Own Art and Take it Away schemes.
Judith King
Judith King is a curator of contemporary art projects within heritage and museum settings, an advisor and mentor and senior researcher associate at Newcastle University. Judith has extensive experience commissioning contemporary work for site specific locations usually within an historic context and was curator of the English Heritage contemporary art programme from 1995-2012, delivering a series of high profile arts, architecture, performance and design projects at Belsay Hall and Gardens in Northumberland and managing the Berwick Gymnasium Gallery and Fellowship programme, part of the historic seventeenth century Berwick Barracks in Berwick upon Tweed. Funded by Arts Council England, she completed a three-year programme of research focussing on how heritage, museum and non-arts organisations engage with the contemporary arts. This fellowship led to the formation of Arts&Heritage in 2009. Judith King’s experience has also covered working with local authorities, NHS Trusts, national and regional museums, galleries and other Government funded organisations initiating, curating and delivering major arts, architectural and design projects, commissions and exhibitions. Her research at Newcastle University, based in the Fine Art Department is ongoing, delivering impact and engagement projects such as Volunteer Voices and being part of AHRC funded research projects concerned with the placing of contemporary art practice within heritage context.
Marie-Anne McQuay
Prior to joining Arts&Heritage as Director of Projects, Marie-Anne McQuay was Head of Programme at the Bluecoat, Liverpool (2015 - June 2022) where she worked across exhibitions, events, print studios and residencies. During her time there she commissioned new work by Larissa Sansour, Adham Faramawy, Suki Chan, Jade Montserrat, Serena Korda, Jonathan Baldock, Elaine Mitchener, Rosa-Johan Uddoh, Sumuyya Khader and Grace Ndiritu. She was also Guest International Curator for Wales in Venice 2019 with artist Sean Edwards and Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham. Previously Marie-Anne was Curator at Spike Island, Bristol (2007-2013), working with artists including Elizabeth Price, Laure Prouvost, Can Altay, Sonia Boyce, Cevdet Erek, Melissa Gordon, Uriel Orlow, James Richards and Jesse Jones.
Becky Orwin
Since completing her MA in Creative Writing at Newcastle University, Becky has worked in a range of project coordination, administration and editorial roles for several arts organisations in the North East; including Northern Stage, New Writing North and Tyneside Cinema. She has worked for Arts&Heritage since April 2018, supporting the organisation across a variety of projects, including Meeting Point. Alongside her work for Arts&Heritage, Becky has worked as a freelance copywriter and writing workshop facilitator, and writes novels for children.
Kiki Claxton
Kiki has been working with Arts&Heritage since June 2019 as Creative Producer. As well as working for Arts&Heritage part-time, she works on National Trust’s Cultural Programme, managing the strategy and delivery of creative programming across multiple properties. She is also responsible for developing the Trust New Art strategies (the National Trust's contemporary art programme) and championing social engaged practice across the organisation. Kiki has worked for organisations including Tate, Peckham Platform and Pallant House Gallery. She studied for a BA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and an MA in Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths University, specialising in socially engaged art practice
Rajwant Kaur Singh
Rajwant has over 10 years experience increasing outreach and public engagement in the arts, leading strategic development, creative production and programme management at organisations including Whitechapel Gallery, Vitrine Gallery, The Royal Household, Tate & Architectural Association. Alongside her role at Arts&Heritage, Rajwant is currently Deputy CEO at Rosetta Arts, working to expose the community of East London to the rich and transformative benefits of the arts and education, and sits on the steering group of Concrete Youth, a charity creating multi-sensory theatre experiences for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Holly Willats
Holly has been working part-time with Arts&Heritage since January 2021 as Digital Producer. As well as working for Arts&Heritage, Holly is an independent curator & writer, and the Director of the arts organisation, Art Licks.
Bev Shephard
Bev has 20+ years experience working in finance, HR and strategy across the arts sector. After a BMus at Manchester University and an MMus in Contemporary Music at Goldsmiths, she worked at Dulwich Picture Gallery, strategy body Culture East Midlands, and as Finance and Resources Director at The Mighty Creatives, Leicester. Bev founded the gallery and studios Haarlem Artspace, Derbyshire and was a Creative Business Advisor for Leicestershire County Council. She's run her own boutique consultancy since 2015, working with a number of charities across the arts and cultural sector as their Finance and HR Director. She's worked with Arts and Heritage since 2022.
Jessie Florence Jones
Jessie Florence Jones is a communications professional with years of experience in a variety of arts organisations and different publishing and arts contexts. She is a writer and editor based in Liverpool; her work can be found on the Verso blog, Lunate, and Blood Knife. Publications she has contributed to editorially are Left Cultures and Radical Art Review. Whilst working for Arts&Heritage, she is also the Communications Manager for Sefton-based arts organisation At the Library.
Jonathan Nash
Jonathan is a Project Manager and Creative Strategist working in museums. Jonathan started his career working with communities, schools, artists and creatives to co-curate projects across West Cheshire Museums. This included leading an organisational change project to successfully embed youth voice across the museum group. Since 2020, Jonathan has worked at National Museums Liverpool, firstly within their Strategic Planning Team and more recently as a Project Manager for their temporary exhibitions programme. Jonathan is passionate about relevance and representation within the cultural sector. This has seen him lead Arts&Heritage’s Board through a period of transformation, significantly expanding and diversifying its Trustees.
Peter Bromley
After qualifying in Environmental Sciences and a Masters in Land Management, Peter’s career has ranged across the natural, historic and cultural sectors in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. After periods as team leader and group director in local authorities, he became the chief executive of an environmental and regeneration charity in the English Midlands where, amongst other roles, he was responsible for the management of a number of museums and heritage sites. He subsequently took up the post of northern regional director for English Heritage, running their portfolio of properties in the north of England before becoming their national director of regional operations. Following that, he then became director of properties for Historic Scotland where he was responsible for their national portfolio of sites including Edinburgh Castle, Scara Brae and the border abbeys. Now, Peter is the partnership manager for the North East Culture Partnership. He has had a number of books and articles published on the subject of environmental management and is also on the board of a number of not-for-profit organisations.
Judith King
Judith has extensive experience commissioning contemporary work for site specific locations usually within an historic context. Judith was curator of the English Heritage contemporary art programme from 1995-2012, delivering a series of high profile arts, architecture, performance and design projects at Belsay Hall and Gardens in Northumberland and managing the Berwick Gymnasium Gallery and Fellowship programme, part of the historic seventeenth century Berwick Barracks in Berwick upon Tweed. Judith King was awarded an Arts Council England fellowship in 2006 and completed a three-year programme of research focussing on how heritage, museum and non-arts organisations engage with the contemporary arts. This fellowship led to the formation of Arts&Heritage. Judith King’s experience has also covered working with local authorities, NHS Trusts, national and regional museums, galleries and other Government funded organisations initiating, curating and delivering major arts, architectural and design projects, commissions and exhibitions.
Emma Anderson
Emma Anderson is an independent heritage consultant with over 30 years experience working in museums, galleries and funding bodies. From starting her career creating a learning programme from scratch in a small artist-led organisation, through a range of nationally significant institutions, to creating a unique arts centre, she has been in at the start, defining and delivering a series of ambitious new programmes, new organisations and new buildings. She has forged a reputation for innovation and inclusiveness in each role.
Madiha Bakir
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.
Daniel Carpenter
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
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.
Dr. Bharti Parmar
Dr. Bharti Parmar is a UK artist and academic with a practice of 30 years focused upon vernacular crafts and systems. She makes prints, photographic installations, sculpture and embroidery. Her current research interests are cotton and Indian independence. Parmar studied Fine Art Printmaking at the Royal College of Art and has a PhD in material culture studies. Her work is represented in numerous institutional collections such as the Pitt Rivers Museum, The Whitworth Gallery and the Government Art Collection. She has supported numerous institutions as a trustee including Midlands Arts Centre Birmingham, Meadow Arts, Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art and has been an Artistic and Quality Assessor for Arts Council England. Parmar is currently is co-editor of Colour, Vol. 4 of the Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of World Textiles and serves on Arts Council England’s Museums Designation Panel.
R.M. Sánchez-Camus (Marcelo)
R.M. Sánchez-Camus (Marcelo) is a creative practitioner, organisational developer, performance coach, and futurist. He is Creative Director of Applied Live Art Studio (ALAS), an action-research studio developing work around socially engaged and site-responsive works of art. He is co-founder and co-director of Social Art Publications, a publishing house for artists books on social practice. Marcelo is Head of Delivery for Public Engagement and Learning at Imperial War Museums. His work happens in two strands: creative art works working collaboratively with communities, and sector support work developing research and organisational development to help improve cultural democracy and participation. Marcelo co-founded various mutual aid groups and networks including: Coalition of Creative Artists in New York, Social Art Network in UK, and Social Art International in Berlin. He was Lead Artist and report author for Social Artists For Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (SAFEDI) an AHRC pilot EDI fellowship producing research around arts access and policy.