Chair

Join Play to the Crowd as their next Chair and help shape the future of Winchester’s vibrant arts and education charity and inspire our local community.

Who we are

Play to the Crowd is a vibrant arts and education charity in Winchester, dedicated to using live performance to enable people to laugh, cry, cheer, debate and grow together.

Play to the Crowd incorporates Theatre Royal Winchester, a beautiful mid-scale heritage theatre; Hat Fair, one of the UK’s most distinctive Outdoor Arts Festivals; and a range of community engagement programmes and activities, including our Playmakers Youth Theatre. The charity also runs a trading subsidiary, Trade to the Crowd.

Our fundamental purpose: to create a world where communities are delighted and united through live performance and participation.

We believe in:

• Celebrating the joy that excellent creative performance experiences offer.
• Connecting people together to improve community cohesion and reduce loneliness.
• Improving mental well-being and fostering happiness.
• Nurturing talent and offering opportunity.

About the role

We are seeking a passionate and committed individual to join our Board of Trustees and help shape the future of our organisation. We are approaching the next phase of our development with a stable base and an ambitious vision to “Delight and Unite” our communities.

As a Chair, you will lead our Board of Trustees, acting as a supportive critical friend to our CEO and staff and a powerful advocate for the charity in the community.

We are looking for a motivating and collaborative individual who shares our love for the arts and a commitment to making cultural experiences accessible to everyone.

This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role, contributing your skills, experience and networks to a meaningful cause and helping ensure a sustainable, thriving future for our charity and for the communities we support.

As our Chair, you will be responsible for guiding the governance, management and administration of Play to the Crowd, ensuring we fulfil our mission and remain legally compliant. You will support our Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and Board in setting our strategic direction, overseeing financial stability and acting as an advocate and ambassador for our work.

You will have a direct impact on our ability to remain sustainable and resilient, helping to plan our future direction, ensuring we continue to provide fresh perspectives that support community cohesion, empathy and mental health through the arts.

Who we are looking for

Play to the Crowd believes that our Trustees should be a diverse, skilled and committed group of individuals who reflect our audiences and champion our purpose. You will share these beliefs and already live our values.

You are likely to bring experience of senior leadership, ideally within a cultural organisation — though we also recognise and value transferable skills. You will have strong networks and contacts, some of whom may be willing to support us as ambassadors, attend fundraising events, share expertise or contribute through donations.

You will certainly have a passion for performing arts, outdoor arts and community participation and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing arts and education charities.

Experience as a Trustee or Chair is helpful but not essential. A connection to, or affection for, Winchester is warmly welcomed.

Above all, you will be passionate about our mission, eager to lead on governance and strategy and excited to help our charity grow, thrive and reach even more people.

Why should I be interested?

The world is changing rapidly and we want to stay ahead, ensuring that fresh perspectives and relevant experience shape our programmes and services and are at the heart of our major decision-making forum, our Board.

Trustees play a vital role as catalysts for new ideas. They spark debate, provide challenge and insight, acting as powerful advocates for the charity and serving as supportive ‘critical friends’ to the staff team.

Our next Chair will empower Trustees to use their voices confidently and ensure every member of the Board has the chance to contribute meaningfully.

Becoming a Trustee offers a unique behind-the-scenes view of what happens at Play to the Crowd. It enables you to bring your unique skills and life experiences to a cause that genuinely matters, whilst also broadening your portfolio of experience.

As a Trustee, you will connect with senior staff and key community figures to help shape the charity’s future direction, ensuring that Play to the Crowd continues to grow, thrive and deliver a sustainable and vibrant programme for the communities we serve.