Rosy Greenlees OBE, has been announced as the new Chair of British Ceramics Biennial (BCB), a charity that develops, sustains, and expands innovative ceramics practice and improves lives together with artists and creative communities. Claire Hickey and Kirsty Andrew have also joined the board.
Rosy stepped into her role as Chair in autumn 2023, taking over from Alison Wedgwood.
“It is wonderful to welcome Rosy as Chair of the British Ceramics Biennial and to bring such a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board. Rosy’s chairing alongside the appointment of Claire and Kirsty further strengthens our organisational leadership as we champion innovative ceramics practice.
I extend my sincere thanks to Alison for her excellent stewardship. I am proud of the remarkable achievements of the British Ceramics Biennial during Alison’s tenure as Chair and I look forward to the same close collaboration with Rosy.”
-Clare Wood, Artistic Director & Chief Executive of the British Ceramics Biennial
Rosy Greenlees
Rosy was most recently Executive Director of the Crafts Council, the national charity for craft, where she held the post for 16 years from 2006 to 2022. She has extensive experience of working in the creative and cultural industries and was a member of the Government’s Creative Industries Council and President of the World Crafts Council. She is a Sounding Board member for the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange (NCACE).
Claire Hickey
Claire is the Arts Officer for Heritage & Culture Warwickshire at Warwickshire County Council. She maintains a strategic overview of arts development in the region and acts in an advisory capacity on a wide range of arts projects delivered across the public realm, creative health and heritage. An alumnus of the Clore Emerging Leaders course, Claire has worked within the arts sector in the West Midlands for over 15 years as a practising visual artist, educator and project manager.
Kirsty Andrew
Kirsty is a Senior Finance Executive based in London. Her most recent role was CFO for EMI Records, part of Universal Music Group. Kirsty is also a practising artist, currently studying at the Royal College of Art on the Ceramics & Glass MA. Kirsty qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand and has over 30 years’ experience, working for multiple high-profile companies including Disney, BBC, Sony Music, Universal Music and Frieze.
“I am delighted to be taking on the role of Chair of the British Ceramics Biennial at a time of development and growth. I am indebted to Alison who has done such a great job in chairing BCB over the last 7 years and I am thrilled to welcome Claire and Kirsty to the Board. Being a trustee involves taking on important responsibilities and navigating often complex situations, but the benefits are many. There is great satisfaction and pride in seeing organisations thrive thanks to good governance. I am looking forward to working with the Trustees and Clare and the team in further building the expertise behind our work making change through clay.”
-Rosy Greenlees OBE
Rosy, Claire, and Kirsty join the board after a successful 2023 edition of the British Ceramics Biennial. We saw over 38,000 visitors attend events and exhibitions across Stoke-on-Trent from 23 September to 5 November 2023. BCB works year-round to ‘make change through clay’ working nationally and internationally. We create and sustain diverse partnerships within heritage, arts and culture, health and wellbeing, education and industry. Last summer the British Ceramics Biennial was awarded £135,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Stoke-on-Trent, as part of the City Council’s Levelling Up agenda. This money is funding a Clay & Communities programme from 2023 – 2025 delivered in collaboration with Partners in Creative Learning (PiCL).
The full British Ceramics Biennial Board of Trustees
Rosy Greenlees, Chair