Dr Colin Hood has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation and charity behind Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall. He joins 2 further new Trustees - Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson and Peter Fotheringham - as the organisation strengthens its governance as it builds towards a post-pandemic future.
Former Deputy Chief Executive of Perth-based SSE, Colin brings considerable Board experience having previously served as Chair of Scotia Gas Networks, Chair of Southern Water and Non-Executive Director at First Group. Colin also served on the Board of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and currently chairs the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult - a company set up by the UK government to innovate and gain commercially from the rapid expansion of the offshore energy market.
Colin succeeds Interim Chair, Director of Communications with Stagecoach Group, Steven Stewart, who has guided the charity over the last 12 months as the organisation navigated its way through the COVID-19 crisis.
Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson will take on the Vice-Chair role. Formerly General Manager of Perth Theatre and now Executive Director of Cultivate, the cultural organisational development agency, Vanessa has held senior roles in arts organisations across the UK and specialises in Governance, Business Planning, Marketing, and Audience Development.
Deputy Director of Finance for Dundee University, Peter Fotheringham brings a wealth of experience gained in senior finance roles at Highland Spring and the Edrington Group.
Welcoming the new Chair and Trustees and thanking Steven Stewart, who will remain a Board member, Nick Williams, Chief Executive of Horsecross Arts said:
“I’m delighted to welcome the three new Trustees, who between them bring a wealth of experience and extensive skills to strengthen the Horsecross Arts Board. Colin brings experience at national and international level and we look forward to benefitting from his skills as we embark on our objective to build a sustainable post-COVID-19 future for the performing arts in Perth.
“I’d like to thank Steven Stewart for taking up the reins as Interim Chair and for his unfailing support during what has been a turbulent period for all organisations in our sector. I am glad that he will remain on the Board as we continue to create and deliver quality arts experiences for the people of Perthshire and beyond.
“As we welcome Colin, Peter and Vanessa, we thank all those who came forward during our Board recruitment process. The outstanding calibre of the candidates is a vote of confidence in our future and our role on Scotland’s cultural stage.”
Commenting on his appointment, Colin Hood said:
“I am looking forward to working with the Horsecross Arts staff. They are an enthusiastic, dedicated team who have a real desire to serve our community. As we begin to anticipate the easing of lockdown restrictions, I am sure we will all relish the return of live performances. At Horsecross Arts we will seek to entertain, educate and inspire all the people who come to enjoy our performances.”
Steven Stewart said:
"I'm delighted to welcome Colin, Vanessa and Peter to the Board. They will significantly strengthen the experience, insight and skills we have across a range of important areas and will support the Horsecross Arts management team in delivering our exciting community-based strategy as we look to rebuild beyond the pandemic.
"Despite the challenges and difficult decisions we've had to take over the past year, it's been a personal privilege to serve as Interim Chair of Horsecross Arts and I'm looking forward to continuing as a Trustee.
"Perth and our wider region have every reason to be confident about the future. Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre are fantastic assets for the city and the talented teams that deliver our programmes are at the heart of Perth's cultural life. Arts and culture will be central in bringing people together once again, helping drive our economy, and bringing new visitors to a place where everyone can live life well."
Friday 12 March 2021