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Woodhorn Charitable Trust appoints new Chief Executive to carry vision of being regional bastion of culture

Woodhorn Charitable Trust has announced the appointment of Rowan Brown as its next Chief Executive

Woodhorn Charitable Trust which markets under the banner of Museums and Archives Northumberland, manages Woodhorn Museum, Berwick Museum and Art Gallery, Hexham Old Gaol and Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, as well as Northumberland Archives and Berwick Record Office has appointed Rowan Brown to replace former director Keith Merrin.

Brown is currently Chief Executive of the Alfred Gillett Trust and was previously Director of the National Mining Museum Scotland said she was thrilled with her new position, which she will take up in February 2017.

The Woodhorn Charitable Trust’s mission is to inspire, engage and connect people to Northumberland and its history by delivering heritage, arts and cultural education and outreach work to people throughout Northumberland and beyond.

Last year Woodhorn Museum became the first venue to present the Poppies Weeping Window outside London, from the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red by Paul Cummins Ceramics Limited in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces. In just three weeks in September 2015, an amazing 40,000 people visited the iconic poppies sculpture, which were on a UK-wide tour organised by 14-18 NOW.

I am thrilled to be joining the Woodhorn Charitable Trust to build on the considerable success the organisation has achieved to date and to work with the talented team to ensure that the next ten years deliver the vision of enriching communities and enhancing individuals’ lives in exciting and innovative ways

Rowan Brown, who will become chief executive of Woodhorn Charitable Trust in February

Among the museum’s permanent collection are more than 80 paintings from the Ashington Group, an amateur art group founded in 1934 by local miners that depicts life in the region and is now of historical importance.

“Rowan brings significant strategic and operational experience and a track record developing new services for visitors and users and delivering capital development programmes,” said Penny Wilkinson, Chair of the Trustees of Woodhorn Charitable Trust said. “Woodhorn Charitable Trust has ambitious plans for its role at the heart of the cultural life of Northumberland and as a national exemplar in the development of museums, arts and cultural services. We are delighted that Rowan will be joining us as Chief Executive to lead the Trust into this next phase of our development.”