ArtReach is pleased to announce the appointment of Lorna Fulton to the new post of Creative Director of ArtReach in March 2021. Lorna brings over 25 years’ experience as a programme director and producer curating, developing, leading, and delivering high profile cultural programmes and festivals.

Lorna has produced several high-profile events, including the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Freedom City, and Saltwell Park’s annual Enchanted Parks event. Most recently, Lorna Fulton was Co-Artistic Director of Brass Festival in Durham and Head of Middlesbrough Town Hall where she brought shows such as Paul Weller, The Specials, Paul Smith (Maximo Park), Sleaford Mods, Don McLean and PP Arnold to the venue. 

Lorna Fulton was also Festival Director for SO Festival in Skegness and East Lindsey, a festival of outdoor arts and is also Artistic Director of Lathe Revival, which is building a living archive of contemporary roots music on restored vintage equipment. With her expertise working with exceptional artists in venues and in outdoor work nationally and internationally, she will lead the organisation’s creative direction and programme development. 

Working with ArtReach’s strong and diverse portfolio of partners and clients, both across the UK and in Europe, her leadership will guide upcoming projects including the Creative Europe programmes, Liberty EU and Accessible Art for All (AAA). 

AAA forms part of ArtReach’s Liberty UK Festival (Leicester) and in partnership with Explora (Rome), Altonale (Hamburg), Muzeiko (Sofia) and Regional Museum of Skåne (Kristianstad), a series of high impact exhibitions will see artists transform toilets using their art to share important messages about how we can live in a fairer, more inclusive society,

Lorna shared:

“It’s an exciting time to join ArtReach. While maintaining the previous ambitious and innovative approach to artistic programming and delivery as well as special creative relationships with key communities, I look forward to developing and implementing an inspirational long term vision with the support of the creative team.”

David Hill, Chair of the ArtReach Board of Trustees added:

“We are delighted to give a very warm welcome to Lorna as she joins us in the newly-defined role of Creative Director. Our Board of Trustees is committed to an ambitious vision as the organisation continues to deliver exceptional art in a post-pandemic world and as we look to increase our international reputation. Lorna will join a creative and highly regarded team and we have no doubt she will provide inspirational leadership.”

ArtReach has substantial plans for 2021 delivery as the country comes out of lockdown, with festival work including the annual Journeys Festival International and LIBERTY UK (formerly Night of Festivals). ArtReach’s Journeys Festival International went fully digital for the first time in 2020 and returns this October to deliver exciting cultural events in Leicester, Portsmouth and Manchester. The company is also making detailed plans to support its next National Portfolio Organisation application to Arts Council England. 

Lorna Fulton will be an exceptional cultural leader to drive ArtReach’s mission to “make great art possible and accessible, connecting art with grassroots and diverse communities to forge creative engagement”.

 

*Lathe Revival recording sections of the :zoviet*france performance (4 May 2015) on to 78rpm records live. Photos by Colin Davison ©BALTIC