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London Area Council

A headshot of Angie Bual

Angie Bual

Producer and Artistic Director
Trigger
Angie is a producer and artistic director of Trigger, an independent producing house.

Angie is a Clore Fellow (Theatre), and has produced for organisations including Fuel, National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh Art Festival and the Science Museum.

She is also on the board for Mayk in Bristol.

Angie won the Creative Producer Arts Foundation Award.
Shawab Iqbal

Shawab Iqbal

Born and bred in east London, Shawab has spent over a decade working across theatre and dance. He is currently Executive Director of Leeds Playhouse, Vice Chair of Tamasha Theatre and Trustee at Northern Stage.
Prior to this, he was Executive Director at the Gate Theatre, Executive Producer at Eclipse Theatre, Senior Associate at the Bush Theatre, Learning and Participation Producer at Boy Blue, Producer at Theatre Royal Stratford East and Administrator at New Adventures, as well as building an extensive freelance portfolio working with both established and emerging artists.

Shawab is also the co-founder of the #AllofUs campaign, designed to support Black, Asian and ethnically diverse arts workers who have been made redundant due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also a former independent governor at Newham Sixth Form College, where he sat on the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and was the lead for equality and diversity. Shawab is also a qualified teacher and former ChildLine counsellor.

He graduated with a first-class honours degree in Sociology from the University of Kent, holds a PGCE in Social Science from the UCL Institute of Education and a MA in Culture, Diaspora and Ethnicity from Birkbeck.
Stella Kanu

Stella Kanu

Stella Kanu is CEO at Shakespeare's Globe. Previously Executive Director at LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) Stella has led the strategic strands of the business as well as executive producing one of the world’s oldest biennial festivals that has been reaching audiences (up to 40,000) since 1981.
Negotiating global and UK partnerships in the subsidised and commercial sector, City of London Corporation, British Council, and cultural embassies and bodies in Africa, Australia, and Europe. She has worked in the theatre, festival, and cultural sector for over 30 years. She founded The Pivotal Place, a coaching practice and methodology for creative leaders, in 2005.

Prior to LIFT, Stella was Executive Producer at Ovalhouse (now Brixton House) leading the artistic, community and organisational transition to the new £20 million venue; at Soundwave Cumbria where she was CEO. She has held various senior and executive roles at well-loved organisations such as Theatre Royal Margate, Harlem Stage (New York), Cardboard Citizens, as well as roles at Africa Centre, Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Clean Break Theatre. She also held interim roles at arts, culture, and community organisations in civic directorates across London and the Southeast.

Over the past 6 years, she has sat on several strategic and governing bodies including All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Theatre, and in 2020 was appointed London Mayoral representative to Arts Council London Area. She sits on the Advisory Board at the drama school Rose Bruford , has been Trustee at New Writing South, member/Interim Chair at Creative Margate Taskforce, Co-Chair of Arts Council England’s Race Advisory Group (RAG) and Chair at Eclipse Theatre (Leeds).

An alumna of University of Wales, Aberystwyth; Middlesex University Writing Centre and Oxford Brookes University Business School. She is a sought- after panellist, speaker, and writer, having contributed to TV, radio, national publications, podcasts and online exploring topics such as inspirational leadership, diversity and inclusion, women and power, and the future of theatre.

At The Globe, Stella has spoken at the Women and Power: Women and Leadership Symposium (2019) and led the iconic photoshoot in 2019 for ‘Black Women in Theatre’ gathering more than 250 black women and non-binary people working in theatre together on the Globe stage to celebrate their contribution to the industry. Stella spearheaded the #AllofUs Redundancy Care Campaign - an immediate response to support Black, Asian, ethnically diverse, and migrant arts workers facing redundancy.

Stella is a Cultural Leadership International Powerbrokers Fellow (2008), an Honorary Fellow at Rose Bruford College (2021), was named one of the Alfred Fagon Award 25 Black Theatre Champions (2022) and was recently named one of the 100 Black Women to Have Make a Mark (2023).
Lucy Kennedy

Lucy Kennedy

Chief Executive
The Sorrell Foundation and Saturday Club Trust
Lucy Kennedy has over 20 years of experience in the cultural and education sectors. She took on the role of Chief Executive of the Sorrell Foundation and Saturday Club Trust in November 2018 and is leading the strategic expansion of the National Saturday Club programme to increase access to this transformational creative education opportunity for young people nationally.
She is working collaboratively across the country, in partnership with further and higher education and cultural institutions, to achieve this vision.

Formally Managing Director at cultural consultancy Futurecity, Lucy headed the organisation’s international offices in London, Boston and Sydney in the development of cultural placemaking and multidisciplinary public art projects. From 2017 to 2018 Lucy was Executive Director of Research Centres at the Royal College of Art, leading the establishment of the Intelligent Mobility Research Centre and the Material Science Research Centre.

Lucy is Chair of the Board of Trustees at Chisenhale Art Place, an arts education charity in London’s East End. She sits on the Advisory Groups for the APPG for Arts, Craft and Design in Education, the Cultural Learning Alliance, the Digital Poverty Alliance and STEM Learning. She is an FRSA.

Lucy studied Anthropology at University College London specialising in Visual and Material Culture and subsequently completed a master’s degree in History of Art at Birkbeck University of London. She lives in North London with her husband, son and step-children.
Paulette Long OBE

Paulette Long , OBE

Paulette has worked in the music industry for over 30 years, championing music in a variety of settings, including music in education.

Her interests and skillset includes PR and communications, an in-depth understanding of the commercial music industry, and the promotion of diversity in arts and culture.

Since 2004 Paulette has been a board director of the MPA (Music Publishers Association) and from 2008 until 2017 was a board director of the PRS for Music (Performing Rights Society for Mu
sic).

In January 2011 Paulette was elected by the PRS for Music board of directors to serve as their Deputy Chair (Publisher), the first female and the first black candidate to occupy that position.

Paulette has almost 14 years of board level experience, and in 2016 was awarded an OBE for her services to the music industry.

She was added to Music Week’s Women in Music Roll Of Honour in the same year, and in 2017 received a Gold Badge Award from BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors).

Having chaired a number of boards, board discussion groups and worked at a senior level within commercial entities and alongside public sector organisations, Paulette has strong experience across strategy creation and delivery, business growth, and engagement.

She is excited about the opportunity to use this experience to further the cause of the Arts Council and help to implement its new strategy.
Darren Rodwell

Darren Rodwell

Darren is a passionate community champion. Prior to becoming a councillor, he led a tenants & residents association and was at the forefront of the Labour Party campaign which led to the defeat of the British National Party in 2010.

Darren was first elected to the Council in 2010 and became Leader in 2014.
Since then he has set the vision and direction of the Council, focussing on ensuring Barking and Dagenham realises its vision of being London’s Growth opportunity and that residents benefit from the growth that is planned.

Darren was chair of the Area Review process for the East sub-region and is keen to ensure that area develop a wider skills vision which helps residents into employment.
Tom Ryalls

Tom Ryalls

Tom is a writer, fundraiser, and organiser originally from Doncaster. As a writer their critically-acclaimed show “Can You See Into a Black Hole?” about growing up with epilepsy ran outdoors in Covent Garden in 2021. Following this, Tom is developing work for Barbican Centre and Camden People’s Theatre. They are also on attachment with The Royal Court in London and Oxford Playhouse.
They have previously made work at Shoreditch Town Hall, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Theatre503, Pleasance Islington, and Slunglow in Leeds.

Tom is also the Head of Development for the NPO Stockroom who run theatre’s only salaried writers’ room. As part of their fundraising work Tom was one of the Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Fellows for 2020, and is currently part of the CIOF x RAISE mentoring programme for young fundraisers.

Tom had epileptic seizures for 10 years and now has ADHD and some associated neurological impairments. They are a trustee and the secretary of the disabled arts commissioning strand Unlimited and a passionate advocate for accessibility in the arts, speaking widely about seizure triggers in theatre. Tom is part of the Inclusive Cultures cohort with Clore Leadership working on dismantling ableism in cultural governance structures.

Tom graduated with a BA in English and Related Literature from the University of York and a Distinction in the MA Writing Musical Theatre programme at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Imran Sanuallah

Imran Sanuallah, MBE

CEO
Patchwork Foundation
Imran Sanaullah MBE is currently the CEO of the Patchwork Foundation, which seeks to help young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities to overcome social barriers and become active, politically engaged members of British civil society.
He is passionate about developing the potential of young leaders, and creating more inclusive spaces to enable individuals of all backgrounds to actively contribute and thrive.

Imran is also a Trustee for the Naz Legacy Foundation, which seeks to promote community cohesion and brings together young people, community, political and faith leaders to strengthen unity between diverse groups. Previously Imran has also been a Democracy Ambassador and Council Member for National Democracy Week for the Cabinet Office.

Imran has focused his career on civic participation and authentic community engagement, to ensure the full multicultural tapestry of modern Britain is reflected. He has received several prestigious awards, including; Social Leader of the Year (British Muslim Awards), Community Award (Balham and Tooting Community Association) and Young Person's Award for Excellence (Muslim News Awards). In 2019 he was also recognised in Her Majesty's Birthday Honours with an MBE for his services to young people.
Justine Simons

Justine Simons, OBE

Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries
Justine was Head of Culture for the Mayor of London for over a decade and has played a central role in the cultural revitalisation of London. She was awarded an OBE in 2015 for Services to Culture in London.

Justine has conceived and delivered the Mayor’s statutory culture strategy since the inception of the GLA.
She shaped the Mayor’s Investment Strategy for the creative industries and overseen City Hall’s work across music, theatre, film, fashion, design, games and art – including building the Fourth Plinth Commission into the UK’s biggest sculpture prize.

Justine founded and is Chair of the World Cities Culture Forum and played a lead role in the cultural programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – staging the capital’s biggest ever festival with over 5000 events. Prior to the Mayor’s Office, Justine spent over a decade in the field of contemporary dance, producing, commissioning and running festivals and venues.
Matt Steinberg

Matt Steinberg

Artistic Director and CEO
Outside Edge Theatre Company
Matt Steinberg is the Artistic Director and CEO of Outside Edge Theatre Company, which is the UK’s only theatre company and participatory arts charity focused on addiction. He is passionate about intersections between professional and community arts, building evidence for arts-based health and wellbeing interventions and the development of early career artists.
With over 20 years of international experience in the arts and cultural sector, he is an award-winning artistic director, stage director and performer.

A graduate of the Clore Leadership short course, Matt was a New Generation Artist at Iford Arts, and was awarded Equity Charitable Trust’s John Fernald Award for Emerging Directors, the Tyrone Guthrie Award from the Stratford Festival and the Christopher Plummer Award from Shakespeare’s Globe Centre Canada. Directing credits include Soho Theatre, Shoreditch Town Hall, the VAULT Festival, Southwark Playhouse, Theatre503, Iford Arts, New Diorama and Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre. His work as an actor includes productions at the Finborough Theatre, the Stratford Festival of Canada, New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre and Classic Stage Company.
A portrait of Emma Will who is white with shoulder length brown hair

Emma Will

Councillor for Royal Hospital ward
Emma Will has been a Councillor for Royal Hospital ward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea since 2010 and is currently the Lead Member for Culture, Leisure and Community Safety. She has previously held the portfolios for Education & Libraries and Family & Children Services.

She has been a trustee of the Kensington Aldridge Academy since it opened in 2014 and is also a trustee of the newly opened special school Kensington Queensmill.
Emma sits on the boards of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group (which brings together all the South Kensington institutions) and the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Prior to becoming a Councillor, Emma worked in the City but after starting a family wanted a career change that would involve helping the community. She is particularly passionate about education and gardening.
A portrait of a black male with thick black framed glasses

David Bryan, MBA CBE

Chair, London Area Council
Founder and Director, Xtend (UK) Ltd.
David Bryan was awarded a CBE for his services to the Arts. He is the Chair of Brixton House, Battersea Arts Centre, Creative Lives (UK) and Chair of the Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Group for the British Council. He is a member of the Mayor’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm and a trustee of Dunraven Educational Trust.

David is Founder/Director of Xtend (UK) Ltd., an organisation development consultancy.
He has a long history of work on organisational change, leadership development and diversity in the public, voluntary and arts sector as well as working with international organisations.

Beyond problem solving with leadership teams in institutions he has spent time working in academia with Kings College, Southbank University, Goldsmith College and City Lit delivering leadership programmes, management course, social studies practice, and literature.

His early years were spent working with community organisations to build their capacity and his effectiveness led him to be co-opted onto the board of the National Council for Voluntary organisations. Throughout his engagement in community development, he has been a staunch advocate for independent voices, social enterprise and civic responsibility.
Victoria Dela Amedume National Council Member for London stands in front of a red brick wall

Victoria Dela Amedume, MBE

Creative Director
The Albany
Victoria is the founder of Upswing, a multi-award-winning contemporary circus company that works to expand the possibilities of circus as an art form.  With Upswing she has created/directed large-scale ‘headline’ events for festivals, projects in found spaces, theatre projects working with older people in care homes and outdoor touring work for town centres.
Outside of Upswing she is Creative Director at The Albany, most recently in that role has supported the delivery for Lewisham's London Borough of Culture Programme ‘We Are Lewisham’. She is a Associate Director at The New Vic Theatre, Chair of The Baring Foundation Arts Committee and a trustee of the Coutts Foundation and in 2022 Victoria was awarded an MBE for “services to circus”.
A portrait of a white woman with a blonde bob. She is wearing a royal blue outfit

Ruth Dombey, Cllr

Leader of the Council, London Borough of Sutton
Ruth was first elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Sutton in 2002 and became Leader of the Council in 2012. She was the Lead Member for the Voluntary Sector for several years and takes a keen interest in promoting culture and the arts in the borough and celebrating the borough's diversity and rich heritage.
She led on the successful bid for a cultural award from the Mayor of London and is looking forward to the 2023 summer STEAM Festival which will celebrate the interaction between arts and science.

Ruth has considerable experience in making grant awards, having previously sat on the Grants Committee for London Councils and a previous board member of the London Marathon Charitable Trust.