Rebecca aims to boost culture
Sunderland Culture has announced a new chief executive who aims to further boost the city’s arts and culture offering.
Rebecca Ball, currently the organisation’s creative director, has succeeded Keith Merrin who left earlier this year to takeuparolewithTyne&Wear Museums.
Rebecca has more than 20 years experience in the arts, and started her career in dance, running community and education projects before going on to a number of senior roles at Arts Council England (ACE), including director of Arts for ACE South East.
Born in Tottenham, Rebecca has lived in the North East since 2011 when she was appointed general manager and producer at a Newcastle theatre company.
In 2014 Rebecca was appointedprojectdirectorofThe Cultural Spring, an ACE funded project aiming to increase participation in arts and culture in Sunderland and South Tyneside.In2016,shewaschosentoleadSunderland’sCityof Culture bid, later joining SunderlandCultureshortlyafterit was launched in 2017.
Rebecca is a Fellow of the prestigious Clore Leadership Programme that identifies and develops aspiring leaders inthearts,cultureandcreative sectors.
Jane Earl, chairperson of SunderlandCulture,said:“The Sunderland Culture board is delighted to appoint Rebecca Ball as our new chief executive following a rigorous selection process. Rebecca’s love and ambition for Sunderland is as real as it is infectious. She is well known and respected locally, regionally and nationallyandherknowledge,experienceandnetworkswillhelpus bothimproveourofferfurther and raise our cultural profile higher.
"She’s a team player, but a natural leader, and the board andSunderlandCulture’spartnersknowthere’snoonebetter placed to achieve our mission of improving life for everyone in Sunderland through culture.”
Rebecca said: “I have been constantly struck by the energy,determinationandtalentof people I have worked with in Sunderland, so I am thrilled to have this opportunity to continue to collaborate with our fantastic partners, board of trustees and staff. I know we will do everything we can to ensure that everyone can take part in, enjoy and shape arts and heritage in the city.”
CounLindaWilliams,cabinet member for Vibrant City at Sunderland City Council, said: “I’m delighted to see Rebecca appointed chief executiveofSunderlandCulture.She playedaleadingroleinSunderland’s City of Culture bid and has a vast amount of experience in culture and the arts.”
Sunderland Culture was founded through a partnership between Sunderland CityCouncil,UniversityofSunderland and Sunderland MAC Trust.Itisbothacompanylimited by guarantee and a registered charity.
Its mission is to ‘improve life for everyone in Sunderland through culture’ and the organisation works across five venues owned by its partners. These include Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art (NGCA), National Glass Centre, Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Arts Centre Washington, and The Fire Station, which is due to open its newauditoriumlaterthisyear.
Sunderland Culture also works with local, national and international artists and organisations to deliver a citywide cultural programme in community settings in the city and the surrounding area.