About Cultural Purbeck CIC

Our work is supported by a small but dedicated team of trustees and staff from across Purbeck’s creative and cultural sector, with experience spanning local arts, heritage and community organisations.

Trustees

Debbie Evans - Chair 

Debbie has over 25 years of senior leadership experience in health & social care focused on building healthy, resilient communities. She serves as a Trustee across several Dorset charities dedicated to community development, arts, culture and social wellbeing, as Chair of Artsreach and a Trustee of the Purbeck and Swanage Development Trust. She also chairs the Swanage Wellbeing Advisory Group, supporting preventative services and strengthening local support for vulnerable residents and young people. Previously a Trustee of Purbeck Arts Weeks, Age UK NSW Dorset, she has also worked with the Dorset Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly and Dorset Council to help community organisations develop and enhance family support services across the county.

Richard Brown - Deputy Chair

Richard has held senior management positions in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. He was a private secretary to two government ministers, a General Manager at the National Grid PLC and Chief Executive of a partnership think tank involving university vice chancellors and business leaders from across the UK. He was for eight years a governor of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of music and dance, chair of Gabrielli consort and players, a trustee of Purbeck Art Weeks (PAW) where he organised the performing art side of the Festival for ten years, and is chair of Purbeck Youth Music and a trustee of the Fieri Consort.

Tracey Churcher M.A.(Oxon), M.A. Cultural Heritage and Management - Trustee

Tracey has over 20 years experience advising and supporting communities to work together  for the benefit of both residents and visitors. Currently the General Manager of the National Trust Estate in Purbeck, leading a team enabling better nature and cultural connections and managing Corfe Castle, Studland Bay and a huge amount of land across Purbeck. 

Paul Kelly - Trustee

Paul has had a career in the arts spanning over 50 years. He started promoting concerts at University and went on to join the national Jazz organisation organising concerts and national tours. He ran a leading Arts Centre in Liverpool, was an arts funding officer in Manchester specialising in community arts and then joined a Public Art practice in Hyde. He spent 15 years as Principal Arts Officer for Plymouth City Council dealing with policy and funding issues and staging several large festivals. He was Principal Lecturer and Course Leader of the BA Hons degree in Arts and Event Management at the Arts University Bournemouth. He now runs Swanage Jazz Festival and Stompin’ On The Quomps in Christchurch. He has an MA in European Cultural Planning. 

Kate McGregor -  Cultural Projects Advisor 

Kate has worked in the arts cultural sector for 20 years and is currently Executive Director of The Mowlem. Kate was Artistic Director of award-winning national touring company, Theatre6 for 13 years whilst working as a freelance director, writer, producer and facilitator. She trained as a Theatre Director at the National Theatre Studio and has directed over 40 professional productions specialising in adaptations of classic novels with actor musicianship. She has a passion for using the arts to inspire and uplift communities and has project managed large scale arts initiatives for multiple organisations across London and the south-west. 

Staff

Laurel Hart - Strategic Communications and Engagement Lead

Laurel has held senior leadership roles across the arts, heritage and public sectors in Dorset and beyond - as Communications Director at Purbeck Art Weeks Festival, Artistic Director at Sandy Hill Arts,  Engagement and Collections Lead at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, and recently as Senior Policy Advisor at Dorset Council, where she led on the organisation's Devolution agenda and established its first strategy and policy function. She brings hands-on experience building organisations from the ground up, deepening community engagement, and shaping national and international policy  - ensuring it works for the communities it's meant to serve. 

Allyson Williamson - Secretary to Trustees

Allyson has extensive experience in Administration, IT Project Management and Customer Service Managerial roles and has worked on a voluntary basis supporting a number of local charities and Charitable Trusts.  Her current roles within Cultural Purbeck include Secretary to the Trustees and assisting in the development of the Cultural Purbeck Membership Community.