The English Folk Dance and Song Society has appointed Katy Spicer as its new Chief Executive. Currently General Manager of Rambert Dance Company, she has previously worked in arts management with Arc Dance Company and Green Candle Dance Company. She is also currently Chair of Independance, a London-based organisation which supports artists working in urban dance forms.
Dave Gibson (pictured) has joined The Musical Museum in Brentford as General Manager, becoming its first ever employee. For the past three years he has worked in volunteer management at the West Middlesex Hospital and prior to that he worked for London Transport for 27 years.
After working in gallery management, Francis Burrows has taken up the joint role of Customer Service & Membership Manager and Exhibitions Curator at Ludlow Assembly Rooms, and Beth Kendall has become Programming & Marketing Assistant.
London Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed Yannick Nézet-Séguin as Principal Guest Conductor from the start of its 2008/09 season. The French Canadian’s appointment follows his new role as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and his artistic direction of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal.
After only a month in post as creator of the government’s family strategy, Peter Wanless has departed and will instead replace Stephen Dunmore as Chief Executive of the Big Lottery Fund in January.
Paul Iles, formerly Manager of Blackpool Grand Theatre, has become Principal Lecturer in Theatre Studies at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He is also a director of Northern Broadsides and Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House, and remains Associate Director of the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond.
Andrew Cornall (pictured) has been appointed as Artistic Director of the Chester Music Festival. Currently Executive Director (Orchestra, Ensembles & Education) of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, he will take on this new role at the start of 2008 and combine it with his role with the Liverpool Phil.
Eli Davison (pictured) has recently joined Tyne & Wear Museums as Development Officer, and Kevin Taylor (pictured left) has been promoted to the new role of Development Co-ordinator. Anne Thornton, who formerly worked for the Walker Art Gallery and the PCS union, has become the North West Arts Co-ordinator for the TUC, to spearhead its artistic and cultural events for 2008, when Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture.
The new Events and Services Administrator for the Arts Marketing Association is Anna Upward. Joe Sumsion (pictured), Action Transport’s Artistic Director / Chief Executive, has been appointed as the new Director of The Dukes in Lancaster. He takes up the new post in January. Former Funding Development Manager at Orchestras Live, Julia Ient, has left to pursue freelance project development and fundraising work.
Laura Manning has left her post as Marketing Officer at Bristol Old Vic to become Assistant Marketing Manager at Bristol Hippodrome, replacing Jamie Walker. ART HK 08 has announced a new Fair Director for Europe: Stephanie Dieckvos. She will be based in London, with responsibility for UK and European gallery recruitment and liaison, as well as VIP programming for the new Hong Kong International Art Fair, taking place next year.