Trustees

Paul Graham - Chair

Paul has been a member of the Arts Alive board for more years than he cares to remember. He is a former lawyer widely experienced in the Arts and Government.

After practising as a solicitor for a number of years he – as he puts it – moved to more interesting work, taking overall responsibility for a regional theatre and cinema complex and leading teams that conceived and managed several large building schemes. More latterly he worked for central government as a full time public tribunal chairman.

His hobby job is artistic director at Ledbury’s Market Theatre where from time to time he also treads the boards.

Kim Smith

Kim Smith is a former Royal Air Force Pilot who moved to the Shropshire area in 1998 to set up his own picture framing business and gallery in the village of Leintwardine. He has been a Flicks and Live promoter and a trustee since 2010. He is involved with a number of charities and business organisations locally.

Hannah Prior

Hannah Prior trained at The Central School Of Speech And Drama graduating with an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice. After graduation she worked for ten years as a theatre maker and actor touring and performing in the UK and Europe. Alongside her work as a theatre maker she ran participatory theatre programmes in London, creating work with groups who are typically excluded from taking part in the arts. Since moving back to Shropshire she has co-founded Ignition, a not for profit participatory arts organisation who work with children, young people and adults using multi disciplinary theatre as a tool for social impact and change. 

Ben Mowbray

Ben is Company Director of Our Star Theatre Company and trained on the Actors’ Studio at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He is a professional performer, director and producer, working with such companies as Children’s Touring Partnership, Feral Productions, Courtyard Productions and Our Star Theatre Company. As someone with close links to touring theatre, Arts Alive was a perfect pairing for him, helping a cause close to his own heart.

Stephanie Hinton

Steph has always worked in the public sector, in the National Health Services and Local government, specifically in social services and specialising in Mental Health social work. She moved to Quatt, Shropshire in 2000 and straight away took to village life, having always lived and worked in a city. Steph is a trustee at Quatt Village Hall and the secretary of the committee. Through this role she became involved with Arts Alive as a promoter and has had the opportunity to be part of sharing many amazing productions.

Michael Connolly

Michael is a Lancastrian living on the Borderlands: Plasterer, Arts Marketeer, Oak Frame Marketeer, Oak Framers Team Manager. Following a dozen years counted in Pantomimes at the Oxford Playhouse and The Courtyard Hereford, Michael currently traverses the Private Sector for his full time employ; utilising  the skills and knowledge needed to navigate those particular organisational frameworks and mixing it up with the experience gained at those previously mentioned Theatres (and various other organisations) to support and celebrate the Arts in the region.

Louisa Mayor

Louisa has over 15 years experience working in the Arts. Since graduating from Edinburgh University, Louisa has worked for galleries, museums, an art fair and on a couple of film sets. Most recently she was Artistic Programme Manager at Meadow Arts and is now on their Board. Louisa is also passionate about rural issues and has a Masters degree from Royal Agricultural University. She divides her time between London and Shropshire.

Annie Rees

Having graduated in Politics and Law, Annie worked for rural organisations before pursuing a career as a Speech and Drama teacher. She was one of the team behind HPA Fest 2020 (Herefordshire Performing Arts Festival) and as a Vice President of Herefordshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs helps the YF movement with public speaking and the performing arts competitions. She lives near Eardisley and feels very fortunate to be part of such a vibrant, active community. Annie has two passions; the arts and our rural communities. She is thrilled to be a Trustee in the hope she can help make a difference to both.

Judith Trustman

Judith is a poet with work published in a variety of poetry journals.  She worked for 25 years as a barrister specialising in child protection.  She has had a lifelong association with artists, musicians and writers.  She is keenly aware of the arts as a force for good, both through her own work and that of her family who include actors, drama teachers, drama therapists and artists.  Her connections to Shropshire span 35 years and she enjoys and welcomes Arts Alive’s important contribution to rural life.

PATRONS

Julie Christie

We are delighted to have iconic film actress Julie Christie as a patron of Flicks in the Sticks. She is the star of many classic British Films, such as Billy Liar, Don’t Look Now and Dr Zhivago, as well as more contemporary films such as Glorious 39, which has toured widely on the Flicks network.

Julie says, "as someone who loves to live in the country but bemoans the sacrifice that has to be made through the dearth of good live shows and the rarity of quality films available on a big screen, I am very happy to be associated with Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks and recommend this exciting initiative." 

Norman Wanstall

As a schoolboy, Norman's first taste of the film industry came after a visit to Pinewood Studios, the experience left a lasting impression and from then on he dreamed of working in the movies. He began his impressive career as a trainee film editor on Jumping for Joy starring Frankie Howerd. After a plethora of editing credits he went on to work on the very first James Bond film, Dr. No as sound effects editor. He would then work on several more films in the Bond franchise, winning an Oscar in 1965 for Best Sound Effects Editing on Goldfinger. 

A founding member of the Guild of British Film Editors and he represented Britain on the first Features Jury at the Cork Film Fesitval. We are delighted to have Norman as our patron. 

Tony Hawks

We are honoured to have Tony Hawks, the well known TV and radio comedian and bestselling author as our patron. Tony donated half of the royalties from his book Playing the Moldovans at Tennis to a trust fund for Moldova, which was used to open the Hippocrates Centre, a medical centre that provides rehabilitative therapy for disabled children from socially vulnerable families. Tony continues to support Hippocrates through fundraising and personal involvement and was awarded an MBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours List for his work with the centre.

Tony says, “I came across Flicks in the Sticks last year when I was touring with my film Round Ireland With a Fridge, and I was taken aback not only by the scale of the Flicks operation but by the dedication of the volunteer promoters who bring so much pleasure to rural communities. I therefore wanted to lend my support to Flicks, and to help them, in any way I can.”