Our Board

Mrs Nora Douds

Appointed as Chair from 01/10/2025 to 30/09/2029

First term of appointment

Nora is an experienced Non-Executive Director and the founder of Podd Consulting, with over 20 years of expertise in strategic planning, governance, and organisational development across the hospitality, tourism and cultural sectors. She has worked with a wide range of businesses and boards, supporting leadership teams to enhance performance, develop talent, navigate change, and achieve sustainable growth. She has held a number of senior leadership positions and, most recently served as Chairwoman of the Northern Ireland Museums Council, until September 2025. She has a particular focus on improving customer experience and the service-user journey across both public and private sector organisations.

Nora holds a BA (Hons) in Music from Queen’s University Belfast and maintains a strong personal interest in the arts, playing violin in a quartet and singing in her community choir. She does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity.

Mr William Leathem

Appointed as Vice Chair from 01/02/2025 to 31/01/2029
Second term of appointment

Mr Leathem is a former elected member of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, where he served as Chair of both the Development Committee and Governance & Audit Committee. He is presently the Chair of USEL (Ulster Supported Employment Limited). This has a time commitment of 12 Board meetings per year with a remuneration of £296.25 per meeting. He is a former Board Member of the Ulster-Scots Agency, Libraries NI and Consumer Council NI. He is currently the Project Manager for Ballinderry War Memorial Hall. Mr Leathem has varied audit and governance experience, project management experience and financial management skills, which he will bring to this role. Mr Leathem has had political activity for the DUP within the last 5 years.

Mr Paul Brolly

Appointed from 01/02/2025 to 31/01/2029
Second term of appointment

Mr Brolly is a media professional with over 25 years experience working across high profile output within the areas of television and radio broadcasting, digital platforms, communications and marketing. He is currently Head of Creative for BBC Northern Ireland and a Board Member for the Belfast Marathon. He is a former Chair of the Golden Thread Gallery Belfast, and a former member of the Antrim and Newtownabbey Council Arts and Culture Advisory Panel. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Mr Joe Dougan

Appointed from 01/02/2025 to 31/01/2029
Second term of appointment

Mr Dougan’s background is primarily in the live music industry. He has been a key senior organiser of the Belsonic and Custom House Square outdoor music events in Belfast for over 12 years. He oversees venues such as The Limelight in Belfast and The Academy in Dublin, as well as internationally established electronic music brand Shine. He is responsible for an annual programme of live music and entertainment across Northern Ireland in a range of venues. He promotes events for Northern Irish musical acts and has prioritised developing new Northern Ireland musical talent. He also manages comedy and media talent, and produces live comedy events. These varied roles have given him an oversight of, and responsibility for, financial, audit and governance matters as well as procurement processing and budgeting. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Mr Ray Hall

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029
Second term of appointment

Mr Hall has recently retired as Resilience Manager for the Southern Emergency Preparedness Group (SEPG). In this strategic leadership role, Mr Hall was responsible for coordinating multi-agency planning, response and recovery operations in relation to major incidents and civil emergencies across six district councils in the southern region of Northern Ireland. His work involved close collaboration with local authorities, emergency services, health bodies, and central government departments to enhance regional resilience and ensure effective incident management. In addition to his public service career, Mr Hall maintains active involvement in the voluntary and charitable sector. He currently serves as a Director of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, promoting cultural heritage and musical excellence, and is a Trustee of the Royal Air Forces Association, supporting the welfare of the RAF community. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Mr Sean Kelly

Appointed from 01/07/2024 to 30/06/2028
Second term of appointment

Mr Kelly has directed the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival since 2000, establishing principles of good governance, including strategic planning, risk management, financial management and fund raising. He co-founded the Black Box performing arts space formulating its business plan and adapting its business model to meet changing demand. He was one of the founders of Culture Night Belfast, which involved setting up a steering group and successfully seeking support from the business community and public funding bodies. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Dr Gearóid Trimble

Appointed from 01/02/2025 to 31/01/2029
Second term of appointment

Dr Trimble is a senior public servant and currently works with Foras na Gaeilge, the North-South implementation body for the promotion of the Irish language, a role in which he has extensive experience in grant administration, corporate governance and budgetary management. With over 25 years' experience working with the Community and Voluntary sectors, both as a practitioner and as a policy-maker, he has overseen the implementation of national policies and island-wide public funding schemes. He holds a PhD in Irish Literature, is a published author and also a Research Associate with Ulster University. He sits on the boards of the following organisations: Creggan Local History Society, Gaelscoil na bhFál, Intercomm, Ring of Gullion AONB Partnership Board & Pobal an Chaistil Tta. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Mr Michael Cameron

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029

First term of appointment

Michael is a playwright and producer having staged a number of theatre productions in venues across Northern Ireland and brings sectoral skills and knowledge to the Board. Until 2024 he was a Board Member of the Arts Advisory Panel for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, through which he was involved with implementing a number of arts strategies and plans. He was formerly employed within the Northern Ireland Office where he had a range of responsibilities which primarily focused on areas of political dispute including paramilitarism and community development. He has had no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mr Dee Crooks

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029

First term of appointment

Dee is a Community Development Practitioner and Operational Manager at Newtownabbey Arts and Cultural Network (NACN), a grassroots youth arts and community development organisation. He holds a BSc in Community Development Practice and has extensive experience collaborating with government bodies, youth workers, and community stakeholders to address social disadvantage through the arts. Dee has led innovative, research-driven programmes that engage communities in areas of socio-economic deprivation, using the arts as a catalyst for inclusion, education, and wellbeing. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, he has implemented long-term strategies to future-proof NACN, integrating artistic development with education and employability pathways. 

Passionate about widening access, Dee is committed to ensuring that young people and communities who have had limited exposure to the arts are supported to experience its transformative benefits. He has had no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mr Paul Grocott

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029

First term of appointment

Paul is a senior civil servant within the Department for the Economy (DfE). His responsibilities have included leading policy makers and analysts on the impact of Brexit on the Northern Ireland economy and leading on the Department’s emergency grant support schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic. In all roles he has worked collaboratively and in partnership with a range of stakeholders including Ministers, politicians, government officials, business leaders, academics and trade unions. He was also instrumental in the DfE’s 10x Economic strategy to drive economic growth through innovation, inclusion and sustainability. He has had no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mrs Margaret Henry

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029

First term of appointment

Margaret is currently Head of Engagement for the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland. Before joining The Heritage Fund she was CEO of thrive, a cultural charity based in NI, leading the strategic planning and direction of the organisation. She co-founded the Arts Collaboration Network.

Margaret has held a number of roles across the cultural sector and worked in the BBC where she was Head of Marketing for BBC Sport and Radio 5 Live at the time of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Margaret has served on a number of Boards including the Old Museum arts centre (now the MAC), Building Change Trust and Tinderbox Theatre Company. She is currently the Chair of the Funders Forum for NI. She has had no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mr Darren Milligan

Appointed from 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029

First term of appointment

Darren is the Creative Programming Executive for the North West Cultural Partnership, an organisation he helped to create with the aim of delivering a range of cultural programmes for Derry-Londonderry. He has worked in a range of arts organisations to curate, develop and deliver successful sustainable and impactful programmes of work. He holds a BMus in Folk & Traditional Music from Newcastle University. As a musician, music tutor and arts professional, he has performed extensively across the UK and Ireland, engaging with a range of artists, funders, venues, festivals and community groups. He has had no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.