Our Trustees

Peter Blackman

Peter worked for over a decade at various London advertising agencies, working with some of the biggest brands in the UK and the world. Over the course of his career he moved from being a typical account man in a suit, to brand planner, to award winning copywriter. He’s now all three, and he rarely wears a suit anymore. In November 2009 he became a founding director of Double Art, a creative marketing and design agency – doubleart.co.uk He blogs at thefreethinker.co.uk and also helps to run the Bristol chapter of the global Ignite movement – ignitebristol.net  

 

Stephanie Mary Leith Macdonald

Stephanie is a teacher in Art, Theatre Studies and English Literature and a Freelance lecturer with special interest in cross cultural and interdisciplinary studies in art and film. Previously Stephanie has worked as Education Officer at the The Art Gallery of Ontario; art history teacher in school and at The School of Art and Design in Bristol. Stephanie has also worked as an Art dealer and exhibitor in Bristol, Bath and London and she has organised tours and events the Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath.  

 

Jude Merrill

Jude began working in theatre in 1987, when she became the first paid member of staff at Travelling Light, working to establish the company as a specialist producer of theatre for young audiences. She has been the company’s Artistic Producer since 1996, working to raise the profile and the quality of work available for children and young people. During this time she has served on the Boards of Hope Centre, ASSITEJ UK, TYA UK and now World Stage.  

 

Ali Robertson

Ali has been Director of the Tobacco Factory Theatre since 2007. He was Director of the Cork Midsummer Festival from 2003 – 2006 and Artistic director of the Granary Theatre, Cork from 1999 – 2002. He was founder of the Cork fringe festival, which presented work from theatre companies from twenty countries in three years. He has produced and directed over a hundred projects in the fields of theatre, dance and visual art and has toured these projects in UK, Ireland, France, Germany and the USA.

   

David Straun

David’s knowledge of the arts is founded upon thirty years’ experience as a theatre practitioner, director, producer, venue manager, programmer and teacher. He is currently an Associate Director for Myrtle Theatre Company, Bristol, whose ground-breaking work uses theatre and the process of making theatre to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable young people. He has created many inclusive participatory arts projects in a range of community and educational settings. David lectures in Theatre and Media Performance, and has taught in Secondary, Further and Higher Education. As a consultant he has informed recent national policy on arts/health and arts/education.