This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scottish Arts Council
21/04/2005
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Patricia
Ferguson today announced the appointment of four new
members to the Board of the Scottish Arts Council.
The newly appointed members are:
Jennifer Waterton is a Mathematics and
Statistics graduate. She has extensive experience within
policy development, research and evaluation across a range
of fields including health, housing and transport.
She is currently involved in a major partnership
initiative to develop research capacity and capability
within the professions of nursing, midwifery and the allied
health professions.
Ms Waterton is an active supporter of the Arts,
particularly literature, theatre, film and the visual arts.
In her 20s she acted at the Netherbow Theatre in Edinburgh.
Ms Waterton holds no other Ministerial appointments and has
declared no political activity within the last five
years.
James McSharry has been a performing
actor/writer for over 10 years as well as working for
Theatre Workshop as Vice Chair between 1997 and 2004. He
has been a board member of many organisations, including
the Combined Arts/Strategic Committee of the Scottish Arts
Council and Disability/Inclusive Organisations.
He was a founder director of the Glasgow Centre for
Independent Living as well as being involved in setting up
Initiatives for local communities in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Mr McSharry worked as a Negotiator on pay and conditions
for the Civil Service between 1980 and 1993.
Currently he also serves on the management board of
F.A.B.B. Scotland. Mr McSharry holds no other Ministerial
Appointments and has declared no political activity within
the last 5 years.
Rab Noakes has been a performer,
songwriter and recording artist for 35 years, during which
time he has developed diverse skills and huge experience
working in the Arts industry in Scotland.
He spent some years as a managing editor at BBC Radio
Scotland, where he was the Head of Entertainment which
covered many popular programmes. His skills as a producer
also helped the station scoop a major Sony Award in
1994.
Currently he is a member of a number of industry-led
forums which involve the communication of ideas in
public.
He also runs a successful music and media company Neon
and is involved in the Musicians Union and Parliamentary
Cross-Party group on Contemporary Music. Mr Noakes has
declared no other ministerial appointments and has declared
no political activity within the last 5 years.
Jane Jeffrey works on the Isle of Skye as
the Director of An Tuireann, the contemporary arts centre
which serves as a hub for international connections and
arts development across the west coast of Highland
Region.
She is a practising Artist with over 30 year's
experience. Previously she has worked as a Civil Servant
for the Scottish Executive as the Head of Arts and Creative
Industries Policy and before that was the Director of
Tincan, the International Contemporary Arts Network from
1994 - 2001.
Ms Jeffrey also has wide ranging board experience, from
working on Strathclyde Children's Panel to Knapdale
Community Council. Jane has declared no political
activities in the past 5 years and has no other Ministerial
Public Appointments.
These appointments will be for three years and will run
from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2008. The posts are
part-time and are not renumerated. The Board meets eight
times a year.
The Scottish Arts Council is the main channel for
Government funding for the arts in Scotland. The Council
distributes funding to a wide range of Scottish arts
organisations and is also responsible for distributing
National Lottery funds. Decisions on grant awards are
informed by a system of Committees.
The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public
Body (NDPB) and the Board is appointed by, and accountable
to, Scottish Ministers. The Board comprises a maximum of 16
Members, including the Chair. The present chair is Dr
Richard Holloway.
These Ministerial public appointments were made in
accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Office
of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
All appointments are made on merit and political
activity plays no part in the selection process. However,
in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations,
there is a requirement for appointees' political activity
(if there is any to be declared) to be made public.