CEO of Southampton Forward
Claire is CEO of Southampton Forward, an independent charity with a remit across culture, including culture-led regeneration, festivals, events and tourism for the city, having previously led its shortlisted bid to be UK City of Culture. Before this she co-led and grew Serious, a highly respected live music and events organisation and prolific commissioner of artists and projects, which operated across the UK and internationally. Serious runs the London Jazz Festival, producing over 800 events and education programmes each year, as well as a suite of talent development opportunities which number Grammy and Mercury Music Prize nominees in its alumni. Serious also contributed to many national moments, including London 2012 and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held at Buckingham Palace. Claire’s career has involved working with an extensive range of partners from the creative industries, civil society, business and local, national and international governments.
She has combined her executive roles with a successful career as a Non-Executive Director on a range of educational, philanthropic, housing, health and charitable organisations, as well as being a member of several high-profile advisory boards. Claire was an independent board member of the Culture Recovery Fund, administered by DCMS to oversee £1.57 billion financial support to cultural organisations and heritage sites during the COVID–19 pandemic.
Claire’s expertise ranges from the creation and delivery of ambitious cultural events and programmes to the development of strategic partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders. She is actively involved in policy development across, culture, civil society and placemaking.
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