Arts and galleries consultant, David Alston will be the Arts Council of Wales? first Arts Director. He was Keeper of Art at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales in Cardiff in the 1990s and was Galleries Director and Acting Chief Executive for The Lowry in Salford.
Danny Hearty, previously Head of Professional Development at the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, has been appointed as Deputy Director: Head of Professional Development by the Independent Theatre Council (ITC). From 2002 to 2004 he was ITC?s Training and Development Manager.
Sponsorship agency Kallaway has expanded its communications division to include a dedicated arts public relations division, which will be led by Anna Cusden (pictured) who has joined from arts and lifestyle agency Brower Lewis Pelham.
Claire Moran has been appointed as the new General Manager of Theatre Cryptic.
The Met in Bury has appointed Clare Payne, a gallery steward and receptionist at Urbis, as Administrator. She succeeds Althea Lyons, who has left to undertake the Theatre and Performance course at Leeds University?s Bretton Hall College.
Allan Burns, Director of Diageo Scotland, will chair the steering group overseeing cultural activity being planned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. The 2009 Year Of Homecoming steering group will organise events to celebrate Burns? contribution to Scottish cultural life and develop plans to encourage Scots worldwide to return to Scotland in that year.
Hannele Brown has left Pop-Up Theatre to go travelling. She has been replaced as Finance and Office Co-ordinator by Tom Brooks, previously Administrator at Theatre Venture.
Arts & Business has appointed Ranjit Matharu (pictured) as Professional Development Manager to lead on the strategic development of the Professional Development Programmes within Arts & Business. She was previously Project Co-ordinator for the decibel initiative at Arts Council England, London.
Roger Fox, Chief Executive Officer of Voluntary Arts Network, has retired.
Maggie Ellis has become Film London?s first Head of Production, with responsibility for running a new Micro Budget Digital Feature Film Fund.
Freelance Director Paulette Randall is the new Chair of new writing theatre company, Clean Break.
The London Sinfonietta has appointed Tim Gill, formerly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, to the position of Principal Cellist.
Lake District Summer Music has appointed Bruce Pimlott as Chairman: he will succeed Sir John Manduell CBE.
Meredith Etherington-Smith, writer and Vice-Chairman of Art Fortnight London, has joined international arts publishing house LTB Holding Ltd, as European Editorial Development Director.
The National Theatre of Scotland has appointed Adrian Searle, founding Director of the Glasgow marketing consultancy Freight Design, as Communications Director. Derek Kennedy has been appointed as Finance & Administration Manager. He was previously Head of Finance at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and, before that, a Management Accountant at the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Liverpool-born conductor, Sir Simon Rattle, has been selected as Artist Laureate for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for the city?s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.