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The Grand Theatre Blackpool

The Grand Theatre

RAISE THE CURTAIN ON A GRAND CAREER

17-03-2008 | Author: Blackpool Grand Theatre (Arts & Entertainments) Ltd and Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Ltd

Blackpool’s Grand Theatre is looking for new board members

The eight new Board members will be persons with knowledge and love of theatre and a love and knowledge of the Grand Theatre in particular.

Applications are now being invited from enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about Blackpool’s Grand Theatre. We are seeking directors for both of our Boards. The people we need will have the knowledge, skills and experience to help us build on our success as one of the busiest and most beautiful heritage theatres in the country.

Earlier this year an external report was commissioned on the governance and management of the Grand Theatre in conjunction with a request by the theatre to Blackpool Borough Council for Grant Aid.

In response to the findings of the review, and as part of an ongoing drive to appoint new directors with skills which support the theatre and its management team, the current Board of Directors recommended changes to the governance structure of the Grand Theatre. At a recent extraordinary general meeting of Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Company and Blackpool Grand Theatre Arts and Entertainment Company these changes were accepted.

The aim is to help the Grand Theatre Board meet its six highlighted success indicators

These are:
Artistic success
Financial success
Administration success
Educational success
Community success
Building success

The Board has a responsibility to achieve success in all six areas. It does so by:
The policies it lays down
The implementation of those policies by suitably qualified staff or consultants
The monitoring of those policies by suitably qualified and experienced directors who will also be available to the managerial staff for consultation and assistance.

The new Arts & Entertainment Board will be constituted so that it comprises of the following:
A Board of eight co-opted directors appointed by an independent selection committee. These eight will contain the blend of qualifications and experience needed by the theatre. The eight will be persons with knowledge and love of theatre and a love and knowledge of the Grand Theatre in particular. They will be willing to give the time required for the effective discharge of their duties and responsibilities (as outlined below) and form a Council of Management.

In addition to the council of management, the full Board will also have representation from our principal stakeholders – Blackpool council (2 representatives) and the Friends of the Grand (1 representative) There will also be two persons co-opted by the Board from time to time. These persons will have exceptional knowledge, experience and influence of value to the Grand Theatre but who, because of other commitments, cannot give as much time to the Grand Theatre as the Management Council.

The Management Council, when appointed, shall serve for a period of four years. Vacancies arising from death or retirement to be filled by co-options by the Council of Management until the expiry of the four year period when the independent appointments panel will be re-convened to select the Council of Management going forward for the following four years.

Qualifications & experiences needed of the eight:

1. Lawyer in private practice. (Our present Chairman David Coupe has been asked to continue as Chairman of both boards when the new Boards are constituted. As he is a lawyer this slot is not available )
2. Chartered accountant.
3. Educationalist.
4. Person with a performing arts background either in professional or amateur theatre.
5. Proprietor, partner or director of a successful small to medium sized business.
6. Person who is well known in the local community and involved in community activities.
7. Person with a substantial marketing/sales background.
8. A senior executive/director in a large commercial organisation.


Duties of the selected eight:

1. Lawyer - To monitor the Theatre's compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations. To guide and advise the Board relative to compliance with charity law. To oversee and audit contracts entered into by the Theatre. To be a consultee of first call relative to litigious disputes and the putting in place of leases and tenancies. To advise on the selection of specialist legal advisers and, where appropriate, instructing them.

2. Chartered Accountant - To monitor the Theatre's financial systems, controls and records in conjunction with the Theatre's auditors. To oversee budgets and ensure that the finances of the Theatre are under good management and control.

3. Educationalist - To monitor links between the Theatre and schools (secondary and primary) and local and regional universities and further education colleges. To monitor the work of the Theatre's education department. To advise the management and Board on issues which schools (and their staff) need to address in bringing children to the Theatre. To advise on child safety issues.

4. Performing Arts Director - To have input into the Theatre's programming and artistic policy and to monitor the successful implementation of this.

5. Community Director - To act as ambassador for the Theatre within the community. To offer lectures and talks to the community on the Theatre. To attend theatre sponsorship and fund-raising events. To advise the Board and the management on issues which affect the community or are of interest to it.

6. Small/medium sized Business Director - To motivate and encourage the Theatre into an entrepreneurial and imaginative approach to the running of the Theatre. To assist the Board in assessing commercial risk. To encourage the Board and management into an innovative approach in making commercial decisions.

7. Marketing/sales Director - To assist the management marketing and sales teams in thinking through new ideas on marketing policy and sales initiatives. To monitor the achievements of the marketing/sales departments.

8. Large Commercial Organisation Director - To provide reassurance to grant-aiding bodies, the Theatre's bankers and potentials sponsors/donors that the Theatre is important inter alia within its community, regionally and nationally. To provide guidance and assistance to the Theatre in seeking sponsorship or donations from large organisations. To open doors generally to persons or organisations having the ability to help the Theatre. To provide advice and guidance to both management and Board on commercial/financial and operational issues.

Success areas:
1. Lawyer - Financial/administration/building.
2. Chartered Accountant - Financial/administration/building.
3. Educationalist - Educational/administration.
4. Performing Arts Director - Artistic/community.
5. Community Director - Community.
6. Small/medium sized Business Director - Financial/administration.
7. Marketing/sales Director - Financial.
8. Large Commercial Organisation Director - Financial/administration.

It is proposed that the Board meets (as now) on a bi-monthly basis and that the Management Council meets with the General Manager in the intervening months. These meetings will be more informal than Board meetings but will be minuted. Minutes of these meetings will be circulated to the Board. The Management Council will receive delegated authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board within certain parameters and restrictions.

Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Limited
As a theatre conservation charity it is proposed that the Board meets on a four-monthly basis (on a different night to A&E Board meetings).

The Board to comprise of the following:
A lawyer.
A chartered accountant.
A community director.
A conservation architect/surveyor.
A theatre historian.
A person with a fund-raising background.
A person with a proven interest in the preservation of buildings of importance to Blackpool's heritage.

The duties of the following additional directors of the Trust Board are as follows:

A. Conservation Architect/surveyor - To oversee in conjunction with the Theatre's consultant architect the putting place of a buildings policy in respect of the Theatre. Monitoring the implementation of that policy.

B. Theatre Historian - To enhance public awareness of the Theatre's heritage. To put together material to support grant-aid from heritage funding bodies.

C. Fund-raising Director - To oversee the putting into place of fund-raising policies to provide funds for the preservation and enhancement of the Theatre. To monitor the implementation of that policy.

D. Conservation Director - To enhance awareness within the community of the importance of the Grand Theatre to Blackpool's heritage and to monitor applications for grant-aid in respect of the building.

Success areas:
A. Conservation architect/surveyor - Building.
B. Theatre historian - Building/community.
C. Fund raising Director - Building/community.
D. Conservation Director - Building/community.

Applications are sought from people with a genuine interest in the Grand Theatre, who can offer their time and skills for the benefit of organisation.

Please download an application form from the Grand Theatre, Blackpool website by clicking
http://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/information/5/54/Careers.htm

Return by post to:
Robert Kearton, Administrator
(Board Application – private and confidential)
The Grand Theatre
Church Street
Blackpool
FY1 1HT

Please note: The closing date for applications is Wednesday 30th April 2008


Notes for Editors:

For further Grand Theatre press information, images or review tickets please call:
Sarah Jane Wright
Press Officer
Grand Theatre, Blackpool
01253 743252
Email: sarahjane@blackpoolgrand.co.uk