John D’Arcy (Chair)
John is Chief Executive of the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges. He was previously a Director with BDO Stoy Hayward Management Consultants. He is a member of the Broadcasting Council for Northern Ireland, a Director of the Commonwealth Games Council for NI and a regular contributor to Ulster Business magazine. John commenced his three year term as Chair on 7 June 2004 after public advertisement and selection by the Arts Council of NI.

Tony McCance (Vice Chair)
Tony McCance is Manager at the Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre, which acts as a catalyst for the development of the arts within Mid Ulster. As a community focused arts and cultural resource, the facility caters to the arts and cultural needs and aspirations of the inhabitants of the Cookstown District and the greater Mid Ulster region. He is a Board member of the Association of Regional Theatres Northern Ireland (ART NI) and a member of the Northern Ireland Theatre Association as well as the Arts Marketing Association. Tony was elected to serve by Band Two members of Audiences NI to serve as Board member for a one year period until August 2006. 

Nick Garbutt
Nick Garbutt is managing director of Asitis Consulting, the Belfast-based public relations and public affairs consultancy. He is a specialist in corporate communications and crisis management. Nick is a former editor of the Irish News and deputy editor of the Belfast Telegraph. He was also head of corporate affairs, Europe for National Australia Bank. In September 2007 he founded Mightier Than The Sword, Ireland’s first dedicated writing school. Nick writes a weekly column in the News Letter.

Tim Husbands
Tim has worked within the arts, tourism and conference sectors for over twenty years, managing large concert halls and conference venues in Blackburn, Folkestone, Doncaster and Torquay. For the last twelve years he has been managing director of the Belfast Waterfront Hall and is also responsible for the management of the Ulster Hall. He is a director of The Beat Initiative, the foremost carnival arts organisation in the Province and has recently assumed responsibility within Belfast City Council for the Culture, Arts and Heritage remit in the city.

Brenda Kent
Brenda heads up Voluntary Arts Ireland, the charitable body promoting participation in arts and crafts across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. She has extensive research and marketing experience, having worked with the Integrated Education Fund, the Prince’s Trust, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and the Simon Community. She has also worked in advertising and PR and in the arts has worked with a wide range of organisations, including Opera Northern Ireland, the Golden Thread Theatre Committee, the NI Visual Arts Forum and Down Arts Forum, as well as the Steering Group for the formation of Audiences NI.

Siobhan McCormick
A Master of Arts graduate in Cultural Management, Siobhan has extensive experience in creating, developing and marketing programmes of activity on a local and national level within the private and public sectors. Companies include, the McCadden Design Group, Circa Art Magazine and Tinderbox Theatre Company. Having joined Lisburn City Council in 1996 as Arts Development Officer, Siobhan now heads the Council’s Arts Service, where she is responsible for the strategic development of the arts and the management function of Island Arts Centre. Siobhan is a member of the Executive Committee of the Forum for Local Government and the Arts and has been a Board member of Tinderbox Theatre Company and Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary of the NI Arts Managers Group.

Áine McVerry
Áine joined the Old Museum Arts Centre in 2004 as Marketing and Press Manager, since September 2006 she has assumed the role of Acting Deputy Director with the responsibility for programming OMAC’s live events. The Old Museum Arts Centre is one of Ireland’s leading contemporary arts centres. Previous to this, Áine worked in marketing and fundraising for an international charity. She has also been the Chair of the Belfast Arts Marketing Group since January 2006.

Mary Trainor  
Mary has worked in marketing for the arts and the business sector for over ten years. Arts marketing roles in Northern Ireland have included five years with the Grand Opera House, where she set up and headed the marketing function, marketing for the Arts Theatre and a Director of Marketing role at the Lyric Theatre. She is currently Head of Marketing & Development with the Ulster Orchestra.

Damian Smyth
As Arts Development Officer with Arts Council of NI, Damian serves as Observer from the Agency’s principal funding body.

Audiences NI seeks expressions of interest for the position of Chair

Expressions of interest are sought for the position of Chairman of Audiences NI. The current Chairman retires after four years and his successor will take up post from 24 September 2008. The post is unpaid and the time required typically equates to two days per month. Experience of being on a Board is required and business-related experience in product/service development and delivery is essential. For further information and expressions of interest, contact the current Chairman, John D'Arcy at john-darcy@utvinternet.com