I am a senior arts leader working at the intersection of artistic vision, organisational strategy, and sustainable cultural development, with over three decades of experience across the UK and international classical music sectors. My work has consistently focused on building resilient, creatively ambitious organisations and projects that balance artistic integrity with strong commercial and governance frameworks .

At the heart of my approach is a belief in partnership—between artists, organisations, audiences, and funders—and in the long-term value of carefully structured collaboration. Throughout my career, I have worked extensively with orchestras, festivals, venues, networks, and education programmes, often bringing together diverse stakeholders to deliver activity that is both artistically compelling and financially sustainable .

Currently, my work spans a portfolio of leadership, production, and consultancy roles. As Chief Executive of The Summer School Foundation, I am leading the development of the new Music Summer School and Festival, building on the legacy of Dartington while reimagining its future relevance and reach. Alongside this, through my own organisation, The Creatively Curious, I deliver a wide range of projects—offering strategic advice, production expertise, and management support to clients across the cultural sector . These projects range from festival programming and governance development to fundraising strategy and organisational change, reflecting both the breadth of my experience and my continued curiosity about new models of cultural delivery.

My international work is also an important strand of my practice. As Vice President of the European Early Music Network, I engage with over 200 organisations across Europe, contributing to sector-wide development, advocacy, and cross-border collaboration. This role reflects a long-standing commitment to the early music field and to building meaningful international partnerships that extend beyond individual projects to shape the wider ecology of the sector .

Alongside these strategic roles, I remain closely connected to artistic production. I currently produce festivals including Cowbridge Music Festival and the St Albans International Organ Festival, and work with ensembles such as the Sacconi Quartet on international touring projects. This combination of high-level strategic work and hands-on production is central to how I operate; I find that staying close to the detail of artistic delivery informs better decision-making at leadership level.

Previously, I served as Co-Director of Southbank Sinfonia at St John’s Smith Square, where I played a leading role in merging the orchestra and venue into a single, unified organisation. This involved overseeing a complex organisational transition while maintaining an ambitious programme of around 400 events per year, managing a team of permanent and freelance staff, and delivering a wide-ranging artistic, educational, and commercial offer . It was a role that required not only strategic clarity but also sensitivity to organisational culture, stakeholder relationships, and the needs of emerging professional musicians.

Before this, as Director of St John’s Smith Square for nearly a decade, I led the artistic and operational development of one of London’s leading classical music venues. During this time, I was responsible for all aspects of the organisation, including programming, financial management, fundraising, commercial partnerships, and governance . I developed a significant commercial hire programme, expanded partnerships with promoters and festivals, and led the organisation through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, securing essential public funding and enabling the venue to continue operating in highly uncertain circumstances.

My earlier career includes leadership roles at Blackheath Halls, where I helped secure the long-term future of the organisation through a major institutional partnership, and at Aylesbury Civic Centre, where I managed both programming and a significant operational transition to external theatre management . These experiences gave me a strong grounding in both the artistic and commercial dimensions of venue management, as well as in community and education work—areas that have remained central to my practice throughout my career.

I began my professional life working in outreach and education with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square, establishing and developing programmes that connected orchestral music with wider communities. This early focus on access and participation continues to inform my work, particularly in relation to audience development and the social role of cultural organisations.

Across all of these roles, a consistent theme has been the development of sustainable activity—whether through diversifying income streams, strengthening governance, building donor relationships, or creating partnerships that unlock new opportunities. I have worked extensively in fundraising, securing support from trusts, foundations, and individual donors, and I bring a strong understanding of how financial strategy underpins artistic ambition .

In addition to my executive work, I have maintained an active portfolio of teaching, mentoring, and professional service. I have lectured at a number of higher education institutions and served as a trustee or board member for several arts organisations, contributing to governance and sector development at a broader level. I am also an experienced conductor and producer, with a practical understanding of music-making that informs my leadership approach.

What I bring to collaborations is a combination of strategic thinking, practical delivery experience, and a wide professional network—particularly within the classical and early music sectors. I am comfortable working across different scales, from shaping long-term organisational strategy to delivering individual projects, and I am particularly interested in partnerships that explore new ways of working, reach new audiences, or build more resilient models for cultural activity.

I am always keen to engage in conversations that are open, exploratory, and grounded in a shared ambition to create meaningful and sustainable work. If there is an opportunity to collaborate, I would be very interested to explore how our respective skills, networks, and ideas might align.

My principal roles include:

• Since 2023 I am the Chief Executive of The Summer School Foundation, responsible for planning and delivering The Music Summer School and Festival every year in North Norfolk.
• Through my company, The Creatively Curious, I manage and produce a wide range of creative cultural projects including festival production, venue programming and consultancy, fundraising and marketing advice and planning, and artist and tour management.
• I was Director of the central London concert Hall, St John’s Smith Square from 2011 to 2022, and subsequently Co-Director of Southbank Sinfonia at St John’s Smith Square.
• Executive and Artistic Director of the London Festival of Baroque Music from 2018 to 2022.
• Centre Manager for the local authority multi-purpose theatre and conference centre, Aylesbury Civic Centre from 2006 to 2010.
• Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Blackheath Halls in south east London from 1999 to 2004.
• Director of the Westminster Schools Music Trust from 1996 to 1999.
• Founding Community & Education Officer of both the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square from 1992 to 1996.