Who is who

Artistic Director and Board Member

Sought-after Italian conductor, composer, producer working with finest European opera houses and orchestras, including Oper Leipzig, Orchestra Teatro Regio di Torino, Malmö Operaorkester, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari,Opera de Tenerife, Pomeriggi Musicali, Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese, Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Garsington Opera, the Royal Ballet, Opera North, English Touring Opera, the Hebrides Ensemble, the Britten-Pears Symphony Orchestra and the Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra as Sir Charles Mackerras Junior Fellow in Conducting.
A Conducting Fellow of the Kurt Weill Foundation, he holds awards from Jerwood Charitable Trust, the Gerald Finzi Trust, the Britten-Pears Foundation and Opera North. In 2016-2017 he held Jerwood Performing Arts Bursary and was DARE Fellow at Opera North.

Board member

A solicitor and notary public until his retirement from full time private practice in 2016 he primarily worked with local and public bodies and for organisations (trusts and commercial bodies) contracting with local authorities. Previously Director of a number of community-based charities including those in the arts sector, he is currently Chairman of a CIC that operates leisure facilities which devotes its profits to improving access opportunities to sport, leisure, and recreation for disabled people. He is also director of a newly established Community Benefits Society which aims to operate community-based theatres.

Programme Director & Dramaturg

Anna Whyatt BA MA. Writer, sculptor, producer. 20 years in cultural regeneration at international/ national level, including award winning work on Tate Modern, World Heritage sites, Chelsea Flower show, UK screen agencies and in Hungary and New York. 10 years Strategic Adviser to UK Film Council and on cultural & economic policy at UK Ministerial and Shadow Cabinet level and for European Commission. Widely published including shortlisting for international literary awards. Sculpture shown in UK, America, and Poland, incl. show sponsored by V& A. Previously Reader, Research Fellow at East London, South Bank universities.Writer, sculptor, producer. 20 years in cultural regeneration at international/ national level, including award winning work on Tate Modern, World Heritage sites, Chelsea Flower show, UK screen agencies and in Hungary and New York. 10 years Strategic Adviser to UK Film Council and on cultural & economic policy at UK Ministerial and Shadow Cabinet level and for European Commission. Widely published including shortlisting for international literary awards. Sculpture shown in UK, America, and Poland, incl. show sponsored by V& A. Previously Reader, Research Fellow at East London, South Bank universities.

Board member

Maggie Schroeder MBA. Consultant/creative producer with ten years’ experience in theatre and opera. As Account Director at Boster Group and entrepreneur, delivered projects/initiatives which have won 5 Cannes Lions, Best Arts and Cultural Sponsorship (UK Sponsorship Awards), Best Sponsorship Activation (ICE Awards), InQUEbate Pitch Award, awards for Best Strategy Project. Dedicated to arts innovation, and applying commercial acumen to social, cultural, environmental issues.