About Us

Jump to: The Lichfield Festival, Lichfield Literature, Staff, Board of Directors, Accounts, Millennium Members, Founder Members

The Lichfield Festival

The Lichfield Festival brings the best national and international artists and performers to the West Midlands each year for a summer celebration of classical music, dance, drama, film, jazz, literature, poetry, visual arts and world music.

Our aim is to present high quality events from across the world in historic and unusual settings, providing  access to vibrant new experiences for as many people as possible.

Performers as diverse as Oscar Peterson, Mstislav Rostropovich, Stephen Fry, Maxim Vengerov, Philip Glass, Anoushka Shankar, Linda Smith, Evgeny Kissin, Timothy West, Djivan Gasparyan, Marin Alsop, Soweto Gospel Choir and Sir Simon Rattle, to name but a few, have appeared since the very first Festival in 1982.

Our learning and participation programme lies at the heart of the Festival’s activities.  Through workshops, free community events, master classes and schools projects we provide people of all ages with an opportunity to explore their creativity.

The Lichfield Festival was shortlisted for the Concert Series category of the 2008 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, Britain’s leading awards for live classical performance.

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Lichfield Literature

Since 2006 The Lichfield Festival has presented an Autumn Literature Festival to compliment the summer programme. The Festival, like its summer cousin, brings the best literary talent to Lichfield for a series of one-hour talks hosted primarily in partnership with the George Hotel.

Originally taking place over a single weekend, Lichfield Literature has now expanded into a 9-day Festival comprising over 45 events. Many of Britain’s leading literary figures, including Sir John Mortimer, Rabbi Lionel Blue, Julia Neuberger, Kate Adie, Tony Benn, John Carey, Barry Unsworth, Alison Weir, Prof Ian Stewart, David Aaronovitch, Jo Brand, Roy Hattersley and Martin Bell, have delighted our audiences over the years.

Since it began, the Festival has also incorporated the Lichfield Literary Dinner. A highlight of the city’s cultural year featuring a high-profile after-dinner speaker. In 2011 we were delighted to welcome Colin Dexter, creator of Inspector Morse and raconteur of high renown.

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Staff

Festival Director Fiona Stuart

fiona.stuart@lichfieldfestival.org

Festival Manager Peter Bacon

peter.bacon@lichfieldfestival.org

Administrator Richard Bateman

richard.bateman@lichfieldfestival.org

Development Manager Vicki Stanley; Katie Scott

vicki.stanley@lichfieldfestival.org katie.scott@lichfieldfestival.org

Finance Administrator Judy Grew

judy.grew@lichfieldfestival.org

Learning & Participation Manager Jennifer Smith

jennifer.smith@lichfieldfestival.org

Learning & Participation Officer Pam Easto

education@lichfieldfestival.org
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Board of Directors, Lichfield Festival Ltd

Mr Nick Sedgwick, Chairman Nick Sedgwick has been a board member since 1987, Company Secretary from 1988 to 2001 and Chairman from 2001 to date. His professional career has been in house building and he is currently semi-retired. In addition to being involved with the Lichfield Festival he has been a past Sheriff of Lichfield and past Chairman of Lichfield District Council where he served for 18 years. He is also a Trustee of Michael Lowe Charity where he is Vice Chairman and is Chairman of Municipal Charities. He was made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Smiths in 2009. He lives in Lichfield.

Mr Rob Tyler, Finance Director Rob Tyler is an accountant, and has lived in the Lichfield area for over 30 years. He spent 26 years as a director with a National house builder – and is now semi-retired. In addition to various other interests, directorships of two small businesses and membership of a local Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee continue to keep him fully occupied. A keen supporter of Lichfield Festival, he joined the Board in 2004.

Sue Arnold Director of Haselour House Media Ltd, a full-service advertising agency with a client list that includes blue-chip companies Rentokil/Initial and the Pertemps Group. Sue Arnold has pursued a career in publishing for over 25 years. She is chair of SucceSS, the business and professional cluster group in South Staffordshire, immediate past President of Southern Staffordshire Chamber, previous director of British Chambers of Commerce (London), and immediate past Chair of Business Link Staffordshire.

Sue Beardsmore Sue worked on daily news for BBC television in the Midlands for over 25 years, as a reporter and presenter. She has extensive production, writing and coaching experience in both television and radio. She regularly hosts awards ceremonies and conferences in the Midlands. She works with a wide range of clients – television presenters and journalists, corporate clients and students.  Sue has a BA in English and Politics, and an MA in Mass Communications. She’s carried out broadcast training assignments for the Thomson Foundation, CIRCOM regional, IREX Europe and T-Media, working in Qatar, Serbia, Germany and Slovenia. In personal presentation and media skills she has worked with managers, press officers and individuals from public service and commercial organisations, arts organisations and charities across the UK.

The Right Revd David Bentley David Bentley has spent his working life as an ordained minister in the Church of England, the first 25 years in various parishes, then bishop of Lynn in the diocese of Norwich for 7 years and 10 years as bishop of the diocese of Gloucester from 1993 to 2003. He and his wife Clarice moved to Lichfield on his retirement. He is chairman of the Lichfield Festival Association.

The Very Revd Adrian Dorber Adrian Dorber has been Dean of Lichfield since September 2005; ordained as a priest in 1980 he began his ministry in the Oxford Diocese. He followed this as Chaplain and Lecturer at Portsmouth University and then as Director of Ministries and Training in the Durham Diocese. He is a member of the Oversight Group for the Churches’ Regional Training Partnership, he chairs the Lichfield Diocesan Local Ministry Scheme, is joint patron of Fair Trade Lichfield, Chair of Governors of the Cathedral School and a Governor of King Edward VI School, Lichfield. His academic interests are in Systematic Theology and Social Ethics.

Pauline Round Pauline Round has been closely involved with the Festival since its earliest days, as her late husband John Round was its first Finance Director. In 1985 she moved to Kent where she obtained an Hons. Degree in Eng . and American Lit. at the University of Kent , followed later by a Post Grad. Cert. in Theology. She  returned to Lichfield in 2002 and joined the Festival Board. She is also a member of  Lichfield  Cathedral Council, a member of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Cathedral, Abbotsholme Arts Society Committee and is involved in the selection of  art for exhibition in the Cathedral.

Lesley Smith Lesley Smith is Curator of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and essentially an English Reformationist Medical Historian. She is currently writing up her PhD in obstetrics and gynaecology in early modern Britain, supervised by Birmingham University and The British Museum. She is also a member of the Association of Medical Writers. Lesley has lectured across the world including the Royal Society in Edinburgh for The Scottish Parliament, The Royal Society of Medicine, The Royal College in London and Cambridge University Medical School. Lesley also studies the reproduction and gynaecological lives of women. This is a challenging field as the study of women is fragmented and also much of the research is about the private lives and examines often forbidden knowledge at a time when women were very largely uneducated. She has 18 academic publications in her name. Lesley has appeared in over 100 television programmes in the last 5 years.

Stephen Snoddy Stephen Snoddy is Director the New Art Gallery in Walsall. Born in Northern Ireland, he has previously been Director the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the Milton Keynes Art Gallery, and the Southampton City Art Gallery, as well as holding positions atthe Cornerhouse in Manchester and the Arnolfini in Bristol.

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2010 Accounts

Download a Pdf of the 2010 Festival Accounts here

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Millennium Members

The Lichfield Festival acknowledges the following people who supported the Festival’s Millennium Membership campaign in 2000:

Mrs Sheila M Abel, Mr & Mrs Colin P Ablitt, Miss M E Allen, Mr & Mrs John R Alsop, Mr & Mrs David G Arthur, Mr Philip E Baldwin, Mrs Sylvia Barnes, Mr & Mrs John M Baron, Mr W Alan Bateman, Mrs Nest Bateman, Dr & Mrs J B J Berrow, Mrs Jean M Blank, Dr R A & A R Bond, Dr Mollie A Brown, Mr Peter Brown, Mrs Ann Burdett, Miss J Rhona Clarke, Lady Hilda Clarke, Mr & Mrs David T Cliffe, Mrs Susan J Clough, Mr & Mrs David N Cooke, Mr & Mrs Aubrey J Craig, Mr & Mrs Philip W M Davies, Mrs Margaret W Davies, Mrs Polly De Hamel, Mr & Mrs Derrick Duval, Mr & Mrs Philip W Elliott, Dr James I Ellis, Mr & Mrs Don Evans, Mr & Mrs Mark H L Farrant, Dr & Mrs Bryan J Fehilly, Mr Nick Fisher, Mr & Mrs William D Friel, The Hon H M T Gibson, Mrs M Roana B Giffard, Mr & Mrs M G Gilbert, Mr & Mrs P R K Glover, Mr & Mrs Edward Green, Mr & Mrs Robert D M Grew, Mr & Mrs Douglas Grew, Mrs & Ms Anne & Louise Hall, Mr & Mrs Rod W Hannam, Mrs Constance G Harford, Mr & Mrs J Martin Harrison, Dr & Mrs W F Hassell, Mr & Mrs James A Hawley, Mr Kenneth L Hayward, Revd & Mrs Peter L Holliday, Miss Celia J Holmes, Mrs M M Horler, Mr & Mrs C E Hubbold, Mr & Mrs G S Hudson, Mrs Grizel Inge-Innes-Lillingston, Mr & Mrs Ken & Catherine Jackson, Mr & Mrs Simon R James, Miss V Kay Johnson, Mr & Mrs Allen J Juxon, Mrs Morfudd Lamb, Mr John E Lane & Miss Ishbel M Curr, Dr & Mrs John H Lang, Lady M Ann Lightbown, Mr & Mrs A C Lindop, Dr & Mrs Chris M Lockwood, Mr & Mrs H W Lukeman, Mr & Mrs G Neil Mainwaring, Mr & Mrs R P Marchant, Mr & Mrs Paddy N Martin, Mr David R Mayes O.B.E., Mrs P F M McGauley, Mr David McQueen, Mrs Diana R McQueen, Mr & Mrs H I Mitchell, Mr & Mrs C H Mitchell, Mr R C Newby, Miss J Lavinia Newell, Miss Jean M Paddock, Mr & Mrs M M Palmer, Mr & Mrs P E M Parsons, Mr & Mrs I W Paterson, Mr J A Paulson, Mrs Ann Penrose, Mr & Mrs Bryan S Ramsell, Mrs Jill Robinson, Mrs Pauline E Round, Mrs Joan E Round, Mr & Mrs John D Rushton, Mr & Mrs Denis B Rust, Miss C M Salt, Mrs Barbara Samson, Mr & Mrs Alan H Seddon, Mr & Mrs N G Sedgwick, Miss P M Shelley, Dr & Mrs Peter J Sheridan, Mr & Mrs R M Simons, Mr & Mrs Jonathan M W Smith, Mr & Mrs Martin F P Smith, Miss Margaret A Spooner, Mr & Mrs Gordon Statham, Mr & Mrs D Nigel Steeley, Mr & Mrs David H & Lyn Stephenson, Dr & Mrs I H Stevenson, Mrs Betty Stewart, Mr & Mrs Peter M B Stone, Mr & Mrs Mike A Swallow, Mr & Mrs Peter W & Laura Tanter, Mr A T N Teague, Mr & Mrs Christopher Teed, Mr Stuart C Tetley, Mr & Mrs Richard J Tetley, Mrs Connie F Thomas, Mr & Mrs Andrew W Tipper, Mr & Mrs Alan Toplis, Mrs K Brenda Towlson, Mrs Arleen Trickett, Mr & Mrs Rob Tyler, Mrs Annette Veitch, Dr Ishbel Villiers, Mr & Mrs Mervyn A Walker, Mr & Mrs David E Wallington, Mr Arnold G Ward, Mrs E A Weatherhogg, Mr & Mrs Michael Webb, Dr & Mrs Stephen Whitmore, Dr & Mrs F L Whittaker, Mr & Mrs David Wood.

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Founder Members

The Lichfield Festival acknowledges the following people whose support founded the Lichfield Festival in 1982:

Mrs Joan V Allen, Mr & Mrs A E Aldridge
Sir Anthony and Lady Bamford, Major M K Beedle, Dr R A & A R Bond, Mr Godfrey Bostock, Mr & Mrs C Brown, Mr Peter Brown, Sir Adrian & Lady Cadbury, Lady Hilda Clarke, Mrs Winifred Clayton-Smith, Mr & Mrs David T Cliffe, Mr & Mrs J N Coley Shaw, Mrs B Cutler, Mrs Polly De Hamel, Dr & Mrs Jeremy R Duncan Brown, Mr & Mrs Derrick Duval, Mr & Mrs Richard B K Dyott, Mr & Mrs Michael Elsom, Mr & Mrs Mark H L Farrant, Mr & Mrs Robert K Fleeman, Mr & Mrs Ian Foster, Mr & Mrs Rodney T Gausden, The Hon H M T and Mrs Gibson, Mrs M Roana B Giffard, Mr & Mrs M H Gilbert, Mrs & Ms Anne & Louise Hall, Mrs Margaret E Hassall, Mr & Mrs James A Hawley, Dr & Mrs J R Heron, Mrs Grizel Inge-Innes-Lillingston, Mr & Mrs Ken & Catherine Jackson, Mr J O Keir, Dr & Mrs John H Lang, Mrs Myra Leavesley, Lady M Ann Lightbown, Dr & Mrs Chris M Lockwood, Mr & Mrs H W Lukeman, Mrs Jeanine Maclaine, Mrs E J Morrison, The Venerable Richard B Ninis, Mr & Mrs John E Rackham, Mrs Pauline E Round, Mr & Mrs J M S Salloway, Mrs M E Sargeant, Mr & Mrs R M Simons, Mr & Mrs Hugh W Skemp, Mr Paul Spicer, Dr & Mrs I H Stevenson, Miss Gwen W Taylor, Mr A T N Teague, Mr & Mrs Richard J Tetley, Mr & Mrs Andrew W Tipper, Mr & Mrs Simon Tonking, Mr Arnold G Ward, Mr & Mrs D J Watkins, Mrs Sheila White, Mrs Jeane Whitney, Mr & Mrs N J Wilford.

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