New Trustees join Creative & Cultural Skills

Creative & Cultural Skills, the industry-led Sector Skills Council for advertising, craft, design, heritage, music and the arts, has announced the appointment five high-profile new Trustees to its board.

The new appointments come as CC Skills prepares to launch a number of important initiatives including the Creative Apprenticeship – the first recognised apprenticeship frameworks for the creative and cultural industries – and a comprehensive online careers information advice and guidance service.

"This is a key moment in our work for the sector," says Tom Bewick, Chief Executive of Creative & Cultural Skills. "As we move from a development phase into the on-the ground delivery of our key projects, it's a fitting point at which to welcome new blood onto our board of Trustees while thanking the retiring members for helping us to come so far in little over two years."

The new appointees, all leading figures in their respective fields are:

* Ric Green – Technical Director, Opera North
* John Stalker - Chief Executive , Festival City Theatres Trust, Edinburgh
* Rosy Greenlees – Director , Crafts Council
* Andrew Wheatley – Director, Cabinet Gallery, London
* Roisin McDonough – Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

"Once again we're pleased to have enlisted the services of some highly respected and vastly experienced Trustees to provide leadership and direction to the organisation, "says Tony Hall CBE, Chairman of Creative & Cultural Skills and Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House. " A Sector Skills Council is only as strong as the extent to which it genuinely articulates the needs of the industries it serves. When we were formed in 2004, we were fortunate to attract a very high quality board whose commitment spoke loudly of the need for better skills in the UK's creative and cultural industries. Now the time has come to refresh and expand the membership, I look forward to welcoming our new appointees including the first representatives from the visual arts and Northern Ireland. I also thank sincerely all of our outgoing Trustees for their invaluable support and participation over the past three years."

The Trustees standing down are:

* Catie Callendar
* Stuart MacDonald
* Sazzadur Rahman
* Karen Turner
* Roy Clare

To view profiles on the new members click here