Cambridge Live Appointment of Founding Chair of the Trustees
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Cambridge Live
Appointment of
Founding Chair of the Trustees
April 2014Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
2Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Welcome and Introduction
Thank you for your interest in becoming Founding Chair of the Trustees of Cambridge
Live. I hope that our recruitment pack will inspire you to become involved and answer
some of the questions you will have.
Cambridge Live is an exciting new initiative by Cambridge City Council to develop the
City’s arts and entertainment offer. A Founding Chair of the Trustees is now sought to
set up and lead the new charity over the first two years of its life. The role of Founding
Chair and all the Trustees will be unremunerated and non-executive.
Cambridge Live is the working name of a new non-profit distributing organisation being
set up to take over from Cambridge City Council, the governance, management and
operation of Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge Corn Exchange and Guildhall and
other live arts and entertainment events in Cambridge and the surrounding area.
The Mission, Aims and Objectives of Cambridge Live are still being finalised but the
main charitable purpose of the trust will be the advancement of art for the public benefit.
Community outreach and engagement will form an important component of this ethos.
Cambridge Live will be operational from 1 April 2015 when the staff and assets will
transfer from Cambridge City Council.
This new organisation is being set up as a charitable company, limited by guarantee
and governed by a board of Trustees who will also act as Company Directors. The
board will be led by a Chair, and consist of twelve Trustees in total, two of whom will be
nominated by Cambridge City Council.
Following the transfer of the activities currently undertaken by Cambridge City Council,
and related staff, to the new charity, Cambridge Live will be responsible for the
successful stewardship of the long established Cambridge Corn Exchange and Folk
Festival brands along with the historic buildings. It will maintain the buildings and
operate these under a long term lease and funding agreement from Cambridge City
Council, who will retain ownership of the assets. The organisation will be run on a day to
day basis by a Managing Director and a team of approximately thirty five staff who will
be employed by the charity. Cambridge Live is expected to have a turnover of some
£5m per annum.
The Founding Chair of the Trustees of Cambridge Live is a vital first appointment on the
road to the successful start up of the new organisation. S/he will play a pivotal role in
guiding Cambridge Live through the first two years.
If you are excited about the prospect of setting up and leading this new charity and
believe you have the high-level skills, experience, energy and commitment required,
then we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact our adviser, Nick Dodds,
as directed below.
Antoinette Jackson
Chief Executive, Cambridge City Council
3Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Overview of facilities and services
Cambridge Folk Festival
www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk
Cambridge Folk Festival ‘Europe’s most prestigious folk festival’ (The Times), is one of
the longest running and most famous folk festivals in the world. Now in its 50th year, the
festival has featured legendary artists - Joan Armatrading, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Cliff,
Jools Holland and Van Morrison to name but a few. It also has been, and continues to
be, a launch pad for new folk artists with an amazing before-they-were-famous back
catalogue including KT Tunstall, Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling and Newton Faulkner.
The festival is a regular sell out event with 10,000 people attending each day; it is
broadcasted to around 13 million people nationwide via media partnerships including
Sky Arts and BBC Radio 2. The Festivals appeal goes beyond its enviable programme;
set in a beautiful intimate park location with cool campsites, the festival aims to promote
ethical and environmental responsibility and was a winner of A Greener Festival Award
in 2012 and 2013. Cambridge Folk Festival was honoured with the Lifetime
Achievement Award from the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Cambridge Corn Exchange
www.cornex.co.uk
Cambridge Corn Exchange is the largest and one of the most versatile entertainment
and conference venues in the eastern region. Built in 1875 to serve as a Corn
Exchange and later as an events venue, it was formally turned into a concert hall in
1986. Some of the artists who have performed at Cambridge Corn Exchange include
Oasis, Jimmy Carr, Amy Winehouse, Eddie Izzard, Darcey Bussell, Sir Simon Rattle,
Jools Holland, Van Morrison, Chuck Berry and Thom Yorke, to name but a few. The
venue’s flexible space works in many formats, from a 1300 seated theatre to an 1849
standing/seated capacity rock concert with many variations in between. Today
Cambridge Corn Exchange is an attractive space for the corporate conferencing market
as well as the rock & pop and comedy touring industry and has a well-supported and
expanding large-scale classical music programme.
The Corn Exchange has recently had an image overhaul, new branding was introduced
in 2012 and included a rework of the What’s On Guide as well as the website. As part
of this, the venue has established a new direction in programming which aims to include
the well-loved but also to push the boundaries with some edgier artistic programming.
We have established an education programme and are committed to fostering new
partnerships to further this work thus enabling it to be far-reaching, sustainable and of
high quality. In 2013 state-of-the art PA and lighting were installed and we continue to
develop and maintain our resources so that the Corn Exchange remains at the forefront
of entertainment in the Eastern Region.
4Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Guildhall Halls, Cambridge
www.cambridge.gov.uk/guildhall
Set in the heart of Cambridge City Centre and overlooking the popular Market and
shopping areas, The Guildhall is the City’s civic building. It is steeped in history and
home to the Guildhall Halls. There are two interlinked halls – the large and small hall,
offering a versatile space for hire. The large hall features high ceilings, chandeliers and
historical portraits, the small hall is filled with natural light. The halls are well loved by
the local community and corporate world alike, the diary is filled with everything from
local art exhibitions to professional conferences, fine dining to classical music. Its city-
centre location gives the venue a most enviable postcode and its close proximity to the
Cambridge Corn Exchange adds multi-site conferencing opportunities. Most recently the
venue has become licenced for civil wedding ceremonies.
Role of the Chair
The Founding Chair of Cambridge Live will provide strategic leadership to the Board of
Trustees, the Managing Director and to the charity as a whole. They will represent the
organisation in its dealings with the stakeholders and at outside events and, initially at
least, they will act as the public face and spokesperson for the charity.
Initially the Founding Chair will work with the trust’s advisors, Bates Wells Braithwaite
and FEI, along with senior members and officers of Cambridge City Council to ensure
the successful establishment of the charity. The key task in the first six months will be to
oversee the establishment of the charity and recruitment of a Managing Director.
Thereafter the completion of the various leases and legal agreements together with
recruitment of the remaining Trustees and transfer of the staff and assets will be the
priority. A full role description and person specification are included below.
Time Commitment
The role of the Founding Chair is likely to be ‘hands-on’ in the beginning, particularly
before the Managing Director is appointed, and candidates should not underestimate
the commitment required in the first 6 months. A commitment of one day a week,
spread over five days, is likely and the Chair will need to be readily available on the
phone and email to the trusts’ advisors and the lead officer of Cambridge City Council.
Attendance at monthly Working Party meetings will be required from June 2014.
Once the Managing Director is in post, in October 2014, the Chair will focus on
recruiting further Trustees and the time commitment should ease as the executive take
on day to day decisions.
Once Cambridge Live is formally operational, in April 2015, the board may need to meet
monthly in the first year and the Chair should be able to commit to at least one day
month and be routinely accessible. It is envisaged that in the longer term the Board will
meet 4 times a year with a finance committee meeting more regularly.
5Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Length of Appointment
The role of Founding Chair requires a considerable commitment and particular skills
around a start-up organisation are needed. In recognition of this a shorter, two-year
term of office is envisaged, after which the Founding Chair can stand down or put
himself/herself forward for re-election by the Board as Chair on a three year cycle.
Timetable
Appropriate candidates for Founding Chair will be identified in April 2014 following a
brief advertising and search campaign. Initial interviews will take place in May with an
appointment taking place in June if possible.
The Trust’s detailed business plan is being prepared by FEI for the end of June and
along with the timetable for legal work, will be confirmed by the Council on 13 July.
Recruitment of the Managing Director will commence thereafter with the person starting
in post by the end of October.
Recruitment of further Trustees will commence in October and be complete by February
2015.
The staff and assets will transfer and the trust will commence trading on 1 April 2015.
The Founding Chair is expected to stand down in April 2016 when election will take
place for his/her successor. The Founding Chair can stand for re-election should they
wish
How to apply
Interested candidates should contact our advisor Nick Dodds to arrange an informal
discussion in the first instance: nick.dodds@feiuk.com
Ultimately application will be by letter and CV.
6Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Chair of the Trustees, Cambridge Live
Job Description
Duties as Chair
• To lead the Board of Trustees and the organisation to enable it to fulfil its purpose
• To ensure an effective relationship between the board and the executive
management, external stakeholders and community and volunteers
• To act as a spokesperson and figurehead as appropriate
• To supervise and support the Managing Director
• Plan and prepare Board meetings and the AGM with others as appropriate.
• Chair Board meetings ensuring:
o A balance is struck between time-keeping and space for discussions
o Business is dealt with and decisions made
o Decisions, actions and deliberations are adequately minuted
o The implementation of decisions is clearly assigned and monitored
• Ensure that a successor is elected before the term of office finishes.
Statutory Duties as a Trustee
• To ensure the organisation complies with its governing constitution
• To ensure that the organisation pursues its defined objectives
• To ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its
objectives
• To contribute actively to the Board of Trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction
to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and
evaluating performance against agreed targets
• To safeguard the good name and values of the organisation
• To ensure the financial stability and efficient administration of the organisation
• To protect and manage the property of the organisation and to ensure the proper
investment of the organisation's funds
• To appoint the Managing Director and monitor their performance
• In general, to comply with all trustee fiduciary duties under company and charity
law.
Additional Duties
• Ensure that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is
focused on achieving these
• Be responsible for the performance of the charity and for its “corporate” behaviour;
ensuring that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements
• Actively contribute to the fundraising activities of the Trust, making introductions to
relevant contacts, attending fundraising events and leading ‘the ask’ where
appropriate
• Act as guardians of the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due
care over their security, deployment and proper application
• Ensure that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
As well as the various statutory duties, any trustee should make full use of any specific
skills, knowledge or experience to help the board make good decisions. The above list
of duties is indicative only and not exhaustive. The Trustee will be expected to perform
all such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate with the role.
7Cambridge Live
Appointment of the Founding Chair of the Trustees
Chair of the Trustees, Cambridge Live
Person Specification
The Chair will need to demonstrate a high level of understanding of and interest in the
aims of Cambridge Live and its strategic, economic and cultural significance for
Cambridge. Board level experience of the private or public sector, preferably at chair
level, is required. Business acumen, a strong sense of accountability and the ability to
think strategically are essential attributes for this role as are excellent inter-personal and
communication skills.
The Chair will need to understand, and be sensitive to, the different roles played by the
executive and non-executive teams of Cambridge Live, guiding the Board carefully
through their strategic role, harnessing their keen interest in the business of Cambridge
Live whist ensuring that operational decisions are delegated to the executive
management. Building a strong working relationship with the Managing Director, who as
the senior executive officer will run the organisation on a day to day basis, will be vital to
the success of the enterprise.
The Chair should:
• Be an established and well respected professional with a track record in successful
leadership
• Be an excellent strategic thinker, able to think expansively, creatively and
independently and navigate through complex decision-making processes to support
the sustainable development of the Trust
• Be capable of chairing meetings effectively, therefore a good listener, able to weigh
up arguments and summarise for others. S/he will manage Board members as a
team to meet common goals, harnessing their diverse and valuable skills and
expertise for the good of the Trust
• Have good networking and communications skills and be a capable public speaker
• Understand the nature of fundraising in the arts charity sector and be prepared to
play a supportive role
• Be politically astute, with a knowledge, awareness and experience of the political
and business landscape in the City, able to grasp relevant issues and understand
the relationships between the Trust and its stakeholders.
The Chair should have a background and proven senior management track record in
one of the following sectors:
• Arts and Entertainment
• Folk or other Music
• Festivals and Events
• Venue or Facilities Management
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Charities Sector
• Local Government.
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