COVENTRY City of Culture Trust has announced a group of 13 music industry and creative professionals that have been chosen as the inaugural members of the Coventry Music Board, the first of its kind local, selected to grow Coventry’s identity as a city of music.
The members, which bring together different experiences of the local and national music industry, reflect the diversity of the city and its musical offering, and will serve for a one-year term on a voluntary basis.
One member will represent the city on the West Midlands Music Board to encourage the region-wide success of the music sector.
Applicants were assessed by an expert panel on their achievements in the music sector, their leadership skills, and their cultural backgrounds, in order to bring together a variety of voices following a public call for nominations.
Chenine Bhathena, creative director of Coventry City of Culture Trust said: “The new Coventry Music Board reflects our values of inclusivity, diversity and creativity. We have a brilliant group of individuals who are committed to making change happen in the city and who represent artists, venues, music businesses, sound technicians, community leaders, community radio and music educators.
“This group will work to combine the legacy of Coventry’s musical identity with its exciting future to ensure a strong pipeline of emerging talent, with a focus on ensuring the appropriate infrastructure is in place necessary for a thriving sector and reinforcing our status as a hotbed of music innovation.”
- The first Coventry Music Board are:
- Alun Roberts – Owner of Just Dropped In Record Shop
- Andrew Fletcher – Programme Manager at Warwick Arts Centre
- Bassam Naaquib – Venue and Event Manager working across Coventry and London for more than 25 years
- Claire Tyler – Learning and Development Lead for Coventry Music
- Colin Bell – Chair of the Coventry Caribbean Association
- David King – Radio Presenter and Vice Chair of the Hillz FM Steering Committee
- Derek Nisbet – Composer and Co-Artistic Director of Talking Birds
- Hannah Pierce – General Manager at Draper’s Hall
- Laura Birkin – Sound Engineer at The Tin Music and Arts
- Lauren Joyce – Multidisciplinary Artist, DJ and Media Professional
- Matthew Cossey – Pianist and Assistant Principal & Creative Director at Nexus Institute of Creative Arts
- Reid Currie – Songwriter and member of Coventry band The Institutes
- Sarah Morgan – Director of The Tin Music and Arts
This project has been made possible by funding from The Radcliffe Trust.
