Two Trustees join Artswork Board

We are delighted to have had Wanjiku Nyachae and Jayanti Shah join our Board of Trustees. These appointments come at a key time for Artswork as the organisation develops future delivery plans to make the arts and creativity available to absolutely everyone, shaping creative communities and enabling children and young people from any background to find their voice.

Engineer and businessman Jayanti Shah MBE brings a wealth of skills to the organisation. His focus on understanding what needs to be delivered, how this will be measured and the business basis for activity is particularly helpful as Artswork moves forwards with a more dynamic business model. A director of Positive Message Ltd and co-founder of Black History Month South, Jayanti has held prominent positions with the Southampton Race Equality Council and race sub-committee, and is an ambassador for the city’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2025. He is eloquent about the need for actions to speak louder than words, and for policies and plans to result in something tangible, whether that is anti-racist activity or more
positive outcomes for children and young people.

Wanjiku Nyachae, a former economist and BBC World Service presenter (Network Africa), is passionate about the power of the arts to change lives. A NESTA Innovation Fellow (Clore Leadership Programme 2009/10), Wanjiku has worked in arts/culture for 25 years as a curator, producer, trainer/facilitator and it’s this wealth of experience combined with personal passion we’re delighted to have on board. She currently combines a psychotherapeutic practice with developing and delivering social prescription projects through Cascade SciArts C.I.C.

About the appointments, Chair of Trustees Norinne Betjeman said:

“We are delighted to have Wanjiku and Jayanti on Artsyworks’s Board of Trustees. Their knowledge, skills and experience really complement those of our existing board members, and will be invaluable as we shape our future business plans.”

Jayanti Shah said:

“It is an honour to be part of an organisation which engenders confidence in young people to develop and fulfil their potential through arts and culture. Artswork is based in my home city Southampton.”

Wanjiku Nyachae said:

“I’m excited to join the board of Artswork at a time of transition, as the organisation works to shape new business plans. Having personally experienced the power of creativity and the arts in my own personal and professional development, I look forward to supporting their ongoing mission of empowering through arts and culture, and harnessing creativity to shape happier and healthier children and young people.”

Wanjiku and Jayanti are joining the existing Board of Trustees, alongside the recently launched Artswork Youth Board.

Over the course of the next year Artswork will be recruiting a number of new Trustees to support in the delivery of our mission to ensure arts and creativity are accessible for all children and young people, and their communities. We anticipate that one of these new Trustees will be between the ages of 16 and 25 to reflect the upper age range of those we actively work with.

There is a particular interest in recruiting individuals who have direct experience in one or more of the following: digital innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement, risk management, finance, fundraising and/or environmental issues. All Artswork Trustees are expected to be keenly aware and supportive of diversity, inclusion and youth voice and expressions of interest are actively welcomed from people with protected characteristics.

The formal recruitment process will begin in the near future, but in the meantime if you would like to make contact please do so by emailing info@artswork.org.uk.

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