Helen Birchenough reappointed to Arts Council England

Helen Bircheough

Helen has always worked with creative people. Her early career was in advertising and brand development and she soon added a number of voluntary roles to her portfolio. She was a trustee and Chair of Salisbury Playhouse from 2003 - 2012 and of the Salisbury International Arts Festival from 2016. She was a key part of the team that merged these two organisations and the Salisbury Arts Centre to form Wiltshire Creative.

Helen chaired Wiltshire College, a complex multi-site further education and higher education college through a period of transformational change. She also chaired the education grants panel for Wiltshire Community Foundation. Helen is a board advisor for Messums Wiltshire, the pioneering multi-purpose gallery and arts centre based in a 13th century tithe barn in Wiltshire and with other spaces in London and the North. She is a Deputy Lieutenant in Wiltshire.

Helen represents ACE National Council on the Acceptance in Lieu and Cultural Gifts Panel.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Area Chairs of Arts Council England are offered remuneration of £6,400 per year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Helen Birchenough has declared no significant political activity.