Worcester City Council and Scala’s Interim Creative Directors, Hannah Phillips and Kitty Ross are today announcing five founding Trustees for Scala, Worcester’s new arts centre.
Bringing a wealth of knowledge from across the cultural and local government sector regionally and nationally, the Trustees will support the team in establishing Scala as a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and help drive the programme for when the new centre opens in 2026.
The new Trustees are Ian Archer, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Courtyard in Hereford, who will take on the role of Chair; Anne Brereton who brings a wealth of experience of local government; Gaynor Cheshire former CEO of Birmingham Ormiston Academy; Sipho Eric Ndlovu, a West Midlands based performance artist and current Poet Laureate of the University of Sheffield Social Sciences; and Deborah Rees, Director of Cast, Doncaster’s flagship theatre. The Trustees have close connections to Worcester with all based in the local area.
Cllr Lyn Denham, Leader of Worcester City Council said: “We are delighted to announce these amazing leaders as Trustees for the Scala, Worcester’s new arts centre. Collectively, they bring remarkable creative talent and leadership skills. It is a testament to the scale of the Scala project that we can attract such experienced talent. The Trustees are all committed to this exciting new opportunity for our city, and to combining their skills with those of the Interim Creative Directors Hannah Phillips and Kitty Ross.”
Ian Archer, Chair of the Scala Board of Trustees said: “My fellow Trustees and I are thrilled to be able to support the creation of a space for Worcester that promises to be inclusive, diverse and accessible. Worcester deserves a place where people can be creative, be community driven and have a platform for their creativity as well as building and adding to the heritage and current cultural offer in Worcester.”
Hannah Phillips and Kitty Ross, Interim Creative Directors for Scala added their welcome: “Individually our new Trustees each bring knowledge and expertise that will be invaluable as we continue to shape the vision for Scala and deliver the business plan. Collectively they will have a huge impact on our ambitions to deliver a creative destination in Worcester and we look forward to working with them.”
Currently under construction in Worcester’s city centre, Scala will be a place where people can come together to enjoy, imagine, and cultivate a more creative future for the city. Opening in 2026, Scala will offer live performance, independent film, music, talks, digital experiences, dance, workshops, exhibitions, festivals and special events.
Once the new organisation is established, Scala will be recruiting for more trustees and engaging with a wider range of stakeholders to support the work already underway by the Scala leadership team and the Council.
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Scala founding Trustees profiles
Ian Archer
Ian Archer is the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Courtyard in Hereford, a role he has held since March 2013.
Before joining The Courtyard, Ian served as the General Manager and Chief Executive of Hull Truck Theatre from 2011 to 2013, where he successfully guided the theatre through a period of significant development.
Ian's extensive career in theatre management also includes six pivotal years (2000-2006) as Manager at Clwyd Theatre Cymru, where he worked under the renowned director Terry Hands. This role allowed him to hone his skills in managing large-scale productions and community engagement initiatives, which have become the cornerstone of his leadership style.
Prior to these roles, Ian spent 14 years as the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. During his tenure, he was instrumental in leading the successful Summer Pops series in Liverpool, which became a major highlight of the city's cultural calendar.
Throughout his career, Ian has been committed to fostering vibrant, accessible arts communities and has a proven ability to steer organisations through both challenges and opportunities.
His leadership at The Courtyard has been marked by a dedication to delivering high-quality events, a thriving community programme, and workshops to the Herefordshire community.
Anne Brereton
Anne Brereton has had a career in local government, more recently working as an interim director and consultant. She is currently providing business support in the hospitality sector.
Anne has worked in a number of local authorities with a focus on place-making. Anne has experience of delivering through partnerships and was instrumental in setting up a special purpose local delivery vehicle to co-ordinate and deliver a £1.8bn programme of infrastructure investment, bringing together major landowners, communities and businesses to develop a shared vision and commitments.
She has been involved in a number of arts and cultural regeneration projects that have made an impact on the transformation of places and communities.
Anne worked with Worcester City Council’s Leadership team on a strategic assignment from April to September 2023.
Gaynor Cheshire
Gaynor moved to Worcester in the 1980s to study a dance degree. In the late 70s and early 80s she worked as a dancer in a variety of films and projects. After qualifying she moved into education, initially as a dance teacher, then becoming head of faculty, deputy head and headteacher. She has been a head of three specialist arts secondary schools.
Before her retirement in 2022 Gaynor was for 12 years the CEO of an academy trust she founded and built. Under her tenure the trust received government funding to open three new purpose-built academies specialising in the creative and performing arts, stage and screen production skills and digital technologies. The trust was named as leading edge, won an international schools award and ran a prestigious theatre.
Gaynor has sat on numerous boards. She is currently a governor of an FE College and an executive director of a large global media company. She has been an advisor to the Arts Council, a chief examiner, author of a text book and a variety of education packs. She continues to provide consultancy work and leadership training to both public and private sector organisations. She hopes her wealth of experience within education, leadership and the creative industries will be useful in her role as a founding trustee of Scala.
Sipho Eric Ndlovu
Sipho Eric Ndlovu is a West Midlands based performance artist and consultant whose approach through dance, drama and writing encourages accessibility and inclusivity in the arts.
Current Poet Laureate of The University of Sheffield Social Sciences, Sipho was awarded a West Midlands High Sheriff Award in recognition of his cultural and creative contributions.
Deborah Rees
Deborah Rees is currently Director at Cast, Doncaster’s flagship theatre which opened in 2013.
She has led the organisation for the last eight years. Prior to Cast, Deborah was Director at The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury for 11 years, overseeing its first major capital refurbishment project. Deborah has substantial experience in the theatre sector working for a range of both building and non-building-based arts organisations, including three years as Administrative Director at Worcester’s Swan Theatre.
Deborah is currently a board member for Graeae Theatre, the national theatre of disability and for Lung Theatre, who have just been appointed as an associate company at The National Theatre.
Deborah is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
