Hull Truck Theatre Board Candidate Brief About Hull Truck Theatre Hull Truck Theatre Ltd is a registered charity and consists of the Theatre which produces and presents theatre in two auditoria (The Heron 429, The Studio 135) alongside a vibrant programme of E&L work. It is run by a non-executive Board of Trustees/Directors who take reports from a series of Committees. Hull Truck Theatre has developed various commercial activities that it runs through its wholly owned trading subsidiary company, Hull Truck Events and Catering Ltd. Since 2013 the theatres Catering operation (café bar, bars and confectionary) at the Theatre has been licenced to an outside operator. Hull Truck Theatre s building is managed by Hull Truck Enterprises Limited (HTEL). The Board of Directors for the trading subsidiary and Building management is independent of the Theatre Board but includes, members of the F&GP Committee as well as independent members. As from 2015 the theatre has restarted the additional trading subsidiary Hull Truck Theatre Production LTD for Theatre Tax Relief purposes whose directors include 5 members of the board and through which many of the Theatre s productions are created. Vision A pioneering theatre with a unique Northern Voice, locally rooted, global in outlook, inspiring artists, audiences and communities to reach their greatest potential. Mission To produce and present inspiring theatre that reflects the diversity of a modern Britain. We provide the resources, space and support to grow people and ideas. We are an ambassador for our city, a flagship for our region and a welcoming home for our communities. Our Values INCLUSION We make enjoyable and enriching theatre that reflects the diversity of our nation. We champion close contact with the arts to build a better, fairer and just society. We provide a safe and welcoming environment for all to enjoy and be inspired by theatre.
We embed equality of opportunity throughout our organization, regularly evaluating our work to ensure best practice. INNOVATION We use our talent and resources to grow people and ideas. We work with exceptional artists to refresh and re-imagine great theatre We fire the imagination, raise aspiration and transform lives. We develop new pathways to overcome social and economic barriers to participation We creatively respond and adapt to change, embrace new thinking when tackling obstacles and adopt imaginative solutions to the challenges before us. INTEGRITY We make choices and decisions that align with our mission, vision and values We balance artistic ambition with financial stability. We develop our resources to maximize opportunities and strengthen our capacity. Overview of Hull Truck Theatre Hull Truck is a pioneering theatre with a unique, powerful, contemporary Northern voice, locally rooted and national in reach, inspiring artists, exciting audiences and supporting communities to reach their greatest potential. In summer 2013 Mark Babych (Artistic Director) and Janthi Mills-Ward (Executive Director) joined Hull Truck Theatre as the new Executive Team. A new refreshed artistic programme prides itself on delivery of QUALITY, intelligent and imaginative work with a powerful NORTHERN VOICE. Through an extensive community engagement programme and commitment to growing the next generation of exceptional talent, Hull Truck Theatre uses its unique resources to bring local people, artists and audiences closer together. We tell extraordinary human stories that offer fresh and imaginative perspectives on the world, presenting each project to the highest artistic standards and encouraging the growth of people and ideas. Hull Truck Theatre has just delivered its most ambitious year yet as a key partner in Hull2017 the UK City of Culture. The theatre delivered an exceptional year of drama with 7 new commissions, including partnerships with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Northern Broadsides and The Market Theatre Johannesburg and over 88,000 thousand people seeing the theatres work, an increase of almost 20,000 on the previous year, and of which 45% were first time visitors to the theatre. Recent awards include: The Arts and Culture Award at the White Rose Awards (2017 and 2016); Most Welcoming Theatre in Yorkshire in the UK Theatre Awards (2016); Cultural Venue of the Year in the Hull Lifestyle Awards (2017); and the Remarkable Visitor Attraction in REYTA s (2016).
Board Structure The Board of Trustees offers guidance and expertise to the joint CEO s (the Artistic Director and Executive Director). Trustees must be positive and passionate advocates for the theatre and its core mission, and must do due diligence to ensure that its affairs as a Registered Charity are conducted with probity. The Board of Trustees for the Theatre consists of a maximum of 15 members, all of whom are unpaid for their services. Members include representatives of Hull City Council (usually serving Councillors). Both the major funders, the Arts Council England and Hull City Council, send representatives (Officers) to attend meetings but they are not trustees of the company. Directors serve an initial term of three years which is generally renewed for a further three years. There are circumstances when a term may be further extended (with the consent of the Trustee/Director and of the Board). The Board meets at least 4 times a year, generally on a Wednesdays evening 5.00pm to 7.00pm, with one Strategy day during the summer. Trustees will receive notices of all meetings and approve the minutes from the last meeting at the beginning of each meeting. Trustees are required to attend at least 2/3 of the scheduled meetings and should be aware that whether or not they attend meetings, all Trustees are responsible for all decisions made by the Board during their term of office. If non-attendance occurs at 3 meetings in a row the Chair of the Board will contact the board member and discuss their role and their capacity to continue as a trustee. Committee Structure Trustees of the Theatre Board are generally asked to serve on at least one Committee. A Committee consists of a Chair and Vice-Chair, several other members of the board or community (who are not members of the Board of Directors) whose specific skills/experience are relevant to the work of that specific Committee, and one or often both the Executive Officers of the Theatre as well as the Senior Manager whose area of responsibility the Committee oversees. The Chairman of the Theatre Board also has the right to attend any Committee meeting. Members are invited to join the committee for three years, followed on consecutively by a further three-year term. Ordinary Committee members are asked to give at least three months notice, if possible, of their intention to resign or not to renew their initial three-year term. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are asked to give at least six months notice where possible. Committees of the Theatre Finance and General Purposes (F&GP) Personnel and H&S Governance & Nominations (Meet as necessary/required) Capital Development (Meet as necessary/required)
Each Committee holds circa two-four meetings annually, timing and frequency as agreed with the Chair. Committee members are expected to attend at a minimum 2/3rds Committee meetings Supporting Fundraising Activities The Board of Directors is particularly required to be supportive of the Theatre s efforts to increase its fund raising from non-public sources. In 2016, the Theatre successfully applied for a Capacity Building grant through the Arts Council s Catalyst Arts programme. This provided us with 45k to invest in improving our ability to fundraise as an organisation, and then 105k to be used as matched funding to incentivise donors to support us. The theatre will increasingly need to develop its fundraising activity and as part of this is imperative that the Board accept the challenge of achieving this by supporting the Theatre s Executive and Fundraising Department in their activities. Work is produced to play at Hull Truck Theatre, in community venues in the immediate area, in co-production with other theatre companies, and occasionally touring further afield. Board members are asked to keep up with the Theatre s work by seeing shows and E&L events and will receive invites to the Press Nights of all Hull Truck Theatre shows. Board Responsibilities A series of Committees, chaired by a Trustee/Director of the Theatre, has been established to monitor and oversee the detail of one element of the Theatre s Operation. To act within powers, and to comply with the company s constitution To act (in good faith) to promote the success of the organisation To exercise independent judgment To exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence To avoid conflicts (or possible conflicts) of interest Not to accept benefits from third parties To declare any personal interests. The directors of Hull Truck Theatre Company Limited for the purposes of company law are also trustees of the charity for the purposes of charity law. In its guidance document "The Essential Trustee" the Charity Commission sets out the six main duties of a trustee: Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit Comply with your charity's governing document and the law Act in your charity's best interests Manage your charity's resources responsibly Act with reasonable care and skill Ensure your charity is accountable
Each of these is unpacked in further detail in "The Essential Trustee" which is recommended reading for all Hull Truck Theatre board members. The document can be accessed using the following web link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-needto-know-cc3 The Charity Commission also endorses regular reflection on the principles of the Charity Governance Code, which sets out recommended practice for good charity governance and aims to be a tool in the hands of trustees for continuous improvement. The code can be found online here: https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en Further Information We aspire to develop a Board of Trustees that: Is representative of the diversity of modern Britain Includes representation of artists Is active and supportive in fundraising to support the work of the theatre Challenges and does due diligence on decisions made by the executive team in order to create and ensure the best use of resources Supports the company to broker and manage relationships with key stakeholders Advocates for Hull Truck Theatre at the highest level Demonstrates experience covering a significant area of the company s operation. In line with the theatres Conflict of Interest Policy all Trustees must complete a Conflict of Interests form on appointment. At the beginning of each meeting Trustees will also have the opportunity to declare any interests not recorded on this from and associated to the proceedings taking place at that particular meeting See conflict of Interests Policy for more information. About You We are particularly interested to receive applications from those who have significant professional experience and networks in one or more of the following sectors: Digital, IT and Innovation Finance and Business Marketing and Communications Commercialisation, Partnerships and Fundraising Catering and Hospitality Education and Learning Legal Issues and Company Law Experienced Practising Artists At Hull Truck Theatre we want to create and sustain a productive, diverse and inclusive working environment. We ask everyone who works with us to champion this ambition and embed it in their day to day work. We actively seek and encourage applications from those under -represented within our sector are particularly seeking to appoint two board members that are under 30.
How to apply Expressions of interest should be made in the form of a letter which sets out your interest in the work of Hull Truck Theatre and evidences the skills and experience which you would bring to the Board, together with your CV. Closing date for applications is 28th February with interviews planned for mid to late March We have up to 8 spaces available for new board members between now and the end of 2018 and it is likely that successful candidates will be phased on to the board between April 2018 and 2019.