Alister Albert Joins The Barnsley Civic as New Member on Board of Trustees

A couple of weeks ago, Alister Albert, the Founder and CEO of The Actors’ Post got an early Easter treat.

After being introduced at the March 2021 meeting for the Board of Trustees of the Barnsley Civic Enterprise (BCE) Limited, he was officially invited by the BCE’s current CEO Helen Ball (on behalf of the Board), to be brought into the team as a fellow Trustee.

As can be found on the Civic’s website, their ethos is to:

“…to present a progressive programme of festivals, exhibitions performance and events that relate to the area, social, economic and political attitudes whilst also entertaining and encouraging debate.

We are passionate about people of all ages and backgrounds having access to the best possible arts and cultural experiences on their own doorstep.”

After accepting this invitation, Alister expressed his gratitude to the Board and noted the opportunity it provides serves as a way for him to continue to find and grow his voice in the artistic and cultural scene in Yorkshire and the UK.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity that was presented to me some months ago and after having chats with Helen, [fellow Board member] Mark Wilcockson and [Chairman of the Board] Stephen Wragg, I was convinced that this was the perfect chance to join an organisation that will fully appreciate my range of skills and input. They are equally as passionate as I am about the arts and having a hand in being able to contribute to the strategic conversations, initiatives, programmes, events and communication that will not only highlight talent in Barnsley and the surrounding areas but also continues to promote the Barnsley Civic as a destination for all things arts related and culture in Yorkshire, was a major incentive!”

Part of the responsibilities Alister will contribute to as a member of the Board will be to ensure the ongoing legal and financial viability of The Civic, assist with the development and implementation of policy, oversee strategic management, employment and personnel elements of The Civic and advocacy of the organisation, its artistic programme and its activities.

“This is a role unlike any other I have done that will bring all my work experiences (to this point) and artistic and creative awareness together to be used for the greater good of an organisation. I look forward to learning from the rest of the Board and utilise my talents in a way that can help impact the strategic direction of The Civic, as we follow the government’s roadmap out of this national lockdown.”

Whilst it is not lost on Alister that he is the only member on the Board of Trustees that is of an ethnic minority background, he is keen to dissuade people from thinking that this appointment is anything tokenistic.

“I am not here to be just a BAME representative. This connection was made to allow me to have an equal and positive influence on the strategic conversations and objective setting of the Board as an individual and provide an opportunity for people/artistes of colour, to engage both with the Trustees and become agents for inclusivity in the community. Coming from a hardworking background and family as well, which so many residents of Barnsley can resonate with, I believe the Board and Barnsley residents will appreciate these characteristics I bring to the table. Whilst I will inextricably lean on my experiences as a native from Saint Lucia to give input in conversations and also being a performer and content creator - these qualities and skills will help me to continue to promote and engage talent connected to The Civic and bolster their voice as an enterprise that will be heard locally and in the national arts scene.”

The Civic, like most charities in the UK has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and was forced to shut its doors to daily footfall and revenue but the Board is super excited about its upcoming slate of potential indoor and outdoor activities that art-seekers have missed and relish experiencing again, after being starved of it in over a year!

Alister ended noting that “I look forward to the level of professional and personal enrichment this appointment allows me and the desired career path and networks it takes me towards and I am very excited about what is to come.”

You can find out more about The Barnsley Civic, its history and upcoming plan for activities on it’s website and on it’s various social media pages.