Barbara Matthews, arts consultant, theatre producer and past President of the Theatrical Management Association, has been appointed Director, Theatre Strategy at Arts Council England. Antonia Byatt, Director of the Womens Library at London Metropolitan University, will become Director, Literature Strategy, and Anna Jobson, currently Head of Policy and Planning at Tate, will take up the post of Director, Arts Strategy.
Stephen Cashman (pictured) has joined Hartlepool Council from Hampshire County Council where he was Head of Audience Development for Arts Marketing Hampshire.
The new Centre for Contemporary Art in Nottingham has appointed curator, critic and writer Alex Farquharson as its first Director. He will lead the development of the Centre through to its opening in Aututmn 2008 and beyond.
Gavin Henderson CBE (pictured) will succeed Professor Gary Crossley as Principal of the Central School of Speech and Drama from September. He will be leaving his role as Principal and Chief Executive at Trinity Laban but will continue as Artistic Director of Dartingtons International Summer School.
Ros Helliwell is the new Press and Marketing Officer at The Manchester Museum.
Amy Eastwood (pictured) has taken up the post of Creative Industries Co-ordinator at The Arts Institute Bournemouth. She was previously Marketing Manager at Lighthouse, Pooles Centre for the Arts..
Johnny OReilly is the new head of development for the arts charity Drake Music. He joins from Sadlers Wells, where he spent two years as Development Manager, and prior to this was Trust and Foundations Manager at English National Opera.
Teresa Drace-Francis, Arts Manager (Visual Arts), has left Visiting Arts to join Arts Council England, London as Visual Arts Officer.
Paul Kelly, Principal Arts Officer for Plymouth City Council for the past 15 years, is leaving to pursue a freelance career.
Marge Ainsley is providing maternity cover for the role of Marketing and Development Manager at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston.
Edinburgh Art Festival, now in its fourth year, has announced the appointment of Joanne Brown (pictured) as its first ever Director. She is currently co-ordinating the Edinburgh programme for the Six Cities Design Festival, and has previously been Special Events Manager for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Arts Development Manager for East Ayrshire Council.
Chester Performs, the organisation developing the new performing arts centre in Chester, has announced its first staff appointments. Alison Jagger, a production manager with the BBC, takes up the post of Creative Producer. Amber Jones, previously Marketing Co-ordinator at FACT and currently working in community education at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, has been appointed as Project Administrator.
Helen Crocker, Gavin Marshall and Wendy Hesketh have received Associate Circus Director Awards to work with York Theatre Royal, Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and Contact, Manchester respectively. They will be working for their venues for six months to develop their work and build audiences for circus arts.
David Bradbury (pictured) has taken over the role of Group Press Officer for Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). He will continue to work as Press Officer for ATG at its two Stoke-on-Trent venues, The Regent Theatre and The Victoria Hall.
The Lowry, has announced that Rodney Aldridge OBE, the entrepreneur responsible for the formation of Capita Group, has become its new Chairman, following the death earlier this year of former Chair, Charles Levison.
Gaylene Gould, Head of Programming and Creative Projects for the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, set to open this September, has joined the Board of Hi8us Projects.
Tom Hopkins (pictured), an independent music promoter, producer and educationalist, has been appointed to implement Dorsets Community Music Strategy.
Jo Cottrell, currently Marketing and Development Director at Soho Theatre, has been appointed as Director of Client Services at marketing and audience development agency, London Calling Arts.