Dr Tom Shakespeare : Chair
Tom Shakespeare is Chair of Arts Council England, North East. Tom is a research fellow at Newcastle University and a consultant for the World Health Organization. His writing and performance work includes Type with the Fathom Project as well as solo work undertaken during a NESTA Fellowship. Tom has made creative contributions to companies including Ludus Dance Agency, Protein Dance and Graeae Theatre Company.
Among diverse media contributions, he has written and presented TV documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4. He was Founding Chair of Northern Disability Arts Forum and Founding Chair of children's musical theatre company, Monster Productions. Tom has previously served as a board member of Northern Film & Media and a member of the British Council's Arts Advisory Committee. He was a former board member and Vice Chair of Northern Arts and has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.