Professor Geoffrey Crossick, Chair
Professor Geoffrey Crossick is Distinguished Professor of the Humanities in the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Previous roles include Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, Warden of Goldsmiths, Chief Executive of the former Arts & Humanities Research Board, and Professor of History at the University of Essex.
He is a social historian of 19th- and 20th-century Britain and continental Europe, including the world of small enterprise, which adds a historical dimension to his interest in contemporary crafts. He speaks nationally and internationally on the value of arts and culture, the importance of the arts and humanities and on the creative economy. He sits on the governing boards of the Horniman Museum, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and the National Film & Television School. He is Chair of the Board of the Arts & Humanities Research Institute at Trinity College Dublin. As well as being a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he is an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Goldsmiths, University of London.
Professor Bruce Brown, Chair, finance and business committee
Professor Bruce Brown is Currently Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art London and previously was Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research at the University of Brighton. He currently is Chair of the arts panel in the Hong Kong Research Assessment Exercise 2020 and previously was Chair of one of the four main panels for the UK Research Excellence Framework 2014. He is editor of Design Issues Research Journal, published by MIT Press.
Majeda Clarke, maker trustee. Textile artist.
Majeda Clarke is an award winning textile artist based at Cockpit Arts, London. She received the 2018 British Muslim Award for Creativity and took part in the Crafts Council Hothouse Programme. After a career in education, as a Head of English and then as an inspector and advisor for Camden schools Majeda retrained in Textiles before setting up her own studio. She is still active in education, recently working on the new government T Levels for Craft and Design.
Matt Durran, maker trustee. Artist and curator
Matt Durran is an artist and curator who works on large-scale installations and sculptural pieces and has run his own art practice for over 25 years. He studied glass at Sunderland and in Copenhagen and has represented the UK at over 30 international glass symposiums. His explorations have taken him from ancient lava-formed obsidian to stockpiled waste glass and the frontiers of new technologies. They’ve found him devising collaborative solutions to energy sustainability and the up-cycling of waste materials. They’ve led him inwards through medical research to the internal architecture of the human body and outwards to the built environment we live in. His practice strives to balance aesthetics with emerging technologies. He stresses the importance of making his own work, pushing forward with new materials his own artistic expression, of making beautiful, compelling and inspiring pieces.
Michael Eden, maker trustee. Ceramics and new technology.
Maker Trustee Michael Eden worked as a traditional potter before an MPhil significantly changed the direction of his practice. His current work brings together traditional ceramic craft skills and digital technology, including 3D printing, additive layer manufacturing. His work has been acquired by a number of institutions including the Crafts Council, the Rothschild Foundation, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, U.S.A and he has featured in Crafts Council exhibitions including Lab Craft and Power of Making. He is currently undertaking research into ceramic 3D printing.
Helen Hyde, trustee
Helen worked for the John Lewis Partnership for over 30 years. Her last post was as Partners’ Counsellor and she sat on the Partnership Board. She is an HR Professional and executive coach. She has a lifelong passion for textiles, particularly needlework, and is studying at the Royal School of Needlework.
Yinka Ilori, trustee, multidisciplinary artist
Yinka Ilori is a London-based multidisciplinary artist of a British-Nigerian heritage, who specializes in storytelling by fusing his British and Nigerian heritage to tell new stories in contemporary design. Humorous, provocative and fun, every project that he creates tells a story. Bringing Nigerian verbal traditional into playful conversation with contemporary design, Yinka Ilori’s work touches on various global themes that resonate with different audiences all over the world.
Reyahn King, trustee. Chief executive of York Museums Trust
Reyahn King became Chief Executive of York Museums Trust in 2015 and is responsible for the strategic leadership of the Trust and its trading subsidiary. York Museums Trust includes three museum venues: York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery, as well as two scheduled ancient monuments and York Museum Gardens. Reyahn joined York Museums Trust from Heritage Lottery Fund, where she had been Head of HLF West Midlands, and was previously Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool. Reyahn began her career as a curator of art at Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery. Reyahn chairs York Cultural Leaders Group and is leading the development of York Cultural Strategy. She has been a trustee of New Art Exchange in Nottingham. Reyahn is a Fellow of the Museums Association and a Clore Fellow.
Lady Kitt, trustee. Paper sculptor, researcher and drag king
Lady Kitt is a paper sculptor, researcher and drag king, based in Newcastle- upon Tyne. Kitt describes their work as "mess making as social glue, driven by insatiable curiosity to explore, share and (gently) incite the social functions of stuff that gets called art". Kitt is co-lead for Social Art Network North East, a founding member of disabled artist led consortium Disconsortia & a member of global art-activism movement Nasty Women (NW), co-convening the NW International Art Prize in 2018. Kitt has recently shown work at Atlanta Contemporary (USA), Saatchi Gallery London (UK) and is currently Maker in Residence at Durham University and one of nine "Constellations" artists with UP Projects and Flat Time House.
Dr Zoe Laughlin, Trustee. Creative director of the Institute of Making
Dr Zoe Laughlin is the co-founder and Director of the Institute of Making, University College London. She has lectured and published widely on making and materials.
Andy Marshall, trustee. Group managing director, Immediate Media Co
Andy Marshall is a senior publishing professional with nearly 30 years media experience and is group managing director at Immediate Media Co: a fast growing and highly successful media business which owns many market leading brands including Radio Times, Mollie Makes, hitched.co.uk and Jewellery Maker TV. He was the co-founder and managing director of Origin Publishing (now part of Immediate Media Co) and previous roles include head of marketing at Future Publishing and head of business development at The European Newspaper. Andy has also acted as an advisor to Plymouth University at the launch of its MA in Publishing.
Ed Matthews-Gentle, trustee
Ed Matthews-Gentle FRSA, is Programme Leader, Creative Lancashire and strategic lead for Creative Industries at Lancashire County Council, with over twenty years' experience working with and developing creative organisations. Current projects and collaborations include British Textile Biennial, the development of the Lancashire 2025 bid to host UK City of Culture and overseeing Lancashire's Cultural Strategy. More recently Ed was invited by Crafts Council to join the Craft UK - Anti-Racism Working Group. Ed also curates the National Festival of Making Conference and talks programme.
Clare Twomey, maker trustee. Artist, curator and professor of visual arts research
Clare Twomey is an artist, curator and Research Fellow at the University of Westminster. She studied Ceramics at Edinburgh College of Art completing an MA in Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art, London. She uses performance, serial production and site-specific installations in her exploration of clay.