Trustees

Heather is currently Director of Finance and Business Development for Brewery Arts in Kendal.  She originally trained as a Management Accountant in London before relocating to Cumbria in 2004 to run her own business.  From 2009 to 2012 she worked for Theatre by the Lake, Keswick supporting the theatre’s community team and other arts organisations in Cumbria, with a particular focus on development and funding.

In 2012, she moved to the Copeland Community Fund to run an annual grants fund of £1.5m working with community groups and third sector organisations in the Copeland area of Cumbria. This was followed by working as a freelance project manager offering organisational development and support to a range of community, third sector and local government organisations.

In 2018 she returned to the arts sector, joining Highlights Rural Touring Scheme where she was General Manager until leaving to join Brewery Arts in 2022.

Heather has been a trustee of Ragged Edge Productions since 2018 and has enjoyed seeing the work expand to include more community based work as well as touring original shows.

Elaine began her career in media production, starting in BBC Local Radio before moving into network TV production for the BBC and Channel 4, initially as a researcher then later as producer. On relocating to Cumbria, she transferred into higher education as senior lecturer in media production and head of postgraduate studies at Cumbria Institute of the Arts, now part of the University of Cumbria.

As a keen supporter of the Arts, she then diversified into arts consultancy and advocacy, was appointed Cumbria Manager for Arts & Business for several years and served on the Board of Culture Cumbria, playing a leading role in the cultural tourism marketing initiative.

In 2009, Elaine helped raise £2.5 million for the Cumbria Community Foundation Emergency Flood Appeal.  She also uses her media background to provide PR services to business and the public sector.  Most recently, she returned to her media roots; working as a freelance voice artist, providing narration for audiobooks, animations and training.

Anne is a producer who has worked in community and arts engagement in West Cumbria for 20 years. Her work increases access to cultural opportunities for communities and supports the growth of the local cultural infrastructure. She held roles at The National Trust, as Arts Development Officer for Copeland and Allerdale Borough Council’s, Rosehill Theatre and Prism Arts before setting up Handpicked Productions.

Examples of her work include The Promise Opera, Sekers Objects, Midsummer Dreaming and At Autumn’s Mellowing (Handpicked Productions), Roll Up! Snappy Opera and The Great Learning (Mahogany Opera), We are Here! Consultation and Engagement Phase (West Cumbria People and Places Programme), Creative Connections (Rosehill Theatre), Picture of Me (Prism Arts) and Krankenhaus Festival 2022 (Sea Power and Aerial).