Meet our new Executive Director and Joint CEO
We're delighted to announce the appointment of Anthony Baker as our new Executive Director and Joint CEO. The appointment follows the departure of Jenny Howard-Coombes, who left the Trust in October to take up a new role working for the National Trust in Scotland
With a wealth of experience and success in growing leading arts organisations, including Dance City in Newcastle, Dance Digital and Gloucestershire Dance, Anthony will take up his position in February 2020 as we prepare for the thirteenth edition of Hull’s annual Freedom Festival which takes place from 2 - 6 September 2020.
Passionate about the role of the arts in society, Anthony explained: “I am extremely excited and proud to be joining the team at Freedom Festival Arts Trust. The Festival has played such a critical part in arts and community development over the past 12 years and I’m looking forward to growing the Festival and providing even more opportunities for the people of Hull and further afield to engage in and with it. On my visits to Hull the warmth and passion of the people and the city has really excited me, and I can’t wait to be a part of that energy.
"Working alongside the incredible team at Freedom Festival Arts Trust to grow and develop the Festival is a great opportunity to increase the arts delivery in Hull and enhance the perception of the city both regionally and nationally."
Anthony will work alongside Artistic Director and Joint CEO Mikey Martins who has been with the trust since April 2015. Since Mikey joined the trust he has developed the festival’s reputation globally as a leading international arts festival.
Mikey continued: “I am really looking forward to working alongside Anthony to continue to develop this wonderful annual festival and to enhance the work that the organisation does all year round.
“Supporting and developing local creative projects, strengthening and connecting the local and regional cultural sector and continuing to work across multiple networks to commission and support new work created by innovative national and international artists to bring to Hull - I am very excited about what we can all achieve together.”
Kate Denby, Chair of the Freedom Festival Arts Trust, continued: "On behalf of the Trustees, I am delighted to welcome Anthony to Freedom Festival Arts Trust. He brings considerable experience and success in leading arts organisations and a commitment to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to engage with arts and culture. Anthony's entrepreneurial vision will be a great asset, and we look forward to seeing the opportunities that he and Mikey will create for Freedom Festival Arts Trust and for arts and culture in Hull.”
Freedom Festival Arts Trust is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2013. The trust produces Hull's Freedom Festival, an international arts festival, which gives artistic expression to themes of democracy, identity, human rights and freedom. One of Arts Council England's National Portfolio Organisations and regarded as a leader in the field of outdoor arts it is part of the artistic directorate of The Without Walls Network and one of only three UK partners of the Europe-wide IN SITU Network.