About Us

Meet Our Board of Trustees

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Tony Trafford

Chair

Tony has been involved with First Art since it’s conception in 2014.

Tony brings to First Art a wealth of experience from the arts and culture sector with a wide and impressive career in TV production.

He is a multiple award winner with considerable experience as a producer, director, writer and, more recently, as a composer

Tony is extremely active in his local community and, as well as his role as chair of First Art, he is the chair of Stainsby Festival.

 

Liz Barratt OBE

Liz is principle of Academy Transformation Trust Further Education (ATTFE) based in Sutton-in-Ashfield. She is passionate about Education and has worked in Adult Education for almost 20 years.

Liz is dedicated to developing and delivering the highest quality lifelong learning, to equip the local community to be able to lead more fulfilled and enriching lives.

Phil Hargreaves

Phil is an award-winning creative producer and experienced cultural leader, committed to making sure all arts and culture is recognised equally and that everyone can experience arts and culture.

He has a broad career in roles that include commissioning, grant making, creative producing and taking lead responsibility for developing high quality artistic programmes.

Phil is Festival Director for Freedom Festival Hull, curating their artistic programmes and setting their strategic direction. Previously he was Head of Creative programmes for Bradford Council and part of the team instrumental in Bradford’s successful bid for the 2025 City of Culture). He has an extensive career which includes Creative Producer for The Leap in Bradford and Déda in Derby.

Sushri Wells

Sushri is an enthusiast of Indian culture and champions the promotion of it by any means she can. She is Vice Chair of the Asian Association of Chesterfield & North Derbyshire.

She was recently awarded for her in recognition of great and valuable services to the community by the High Sheriff of Derbyshire.

Ismail Khokon

Ismail Khokon is currently the Neighbourhoods Producer at New Art Exchange (NAE). Here he leads co-creative initiatives empowering local residents to shape and deliver artistic projects, and has been involved with NAE’s Reshaping Governance and CURATE programmes, offering pathways into trustee and curatorial roles for Global Ethnic Majority creatives.
He is a Steering Group Member for CVAN East Midlands Art of Belonging project, a Trustee for BACKLIT Gallery. His past roles include Co-Production Creative Leader at the National Justice Museum, Associate Artist at Mansfield Museum and participants of New Midlands Group.
A visual artist, Ismail focuses on elevating the voices and experiences of historically marginalized communities through documentary photography and painting.

Lucia Amber

Lucia brings lived experience of navigating barriers to culture, as both a disabled neurodivergent artist, as a mother to a neurodivergent daughter, and as a caregiver. Lucia is a relatively new Mansfield resident having moved to the town during the Covid pandemic.

Her role on the board allows her to advocate for greater access and inclusion for neurodivergent individuals in the creative sector.

Maggie Anguish

Maggie is a Mansfield native and has had a varied creative career, including roles as a Butlins Red Coat, in children’s theatre, technical stage management at the Bristol Old Vic, and as a performing arts teacher to young people over 16.

In her 40s, Maggie began losing her sight and became a volunteer of the Sight Loss Council. She is committed to giving the next generation a voice in shaping their community and removing barriers to accessing culture for blind and partially sighted groups.

Read more about Maggie here