Creative UK, the national membership body for the UK’s cultural and creative industries, has a new chair

Creative UK has revealed that Catherine Mallyon has been appointed as new chair with effect from March next year, when current chair Belinda Budge reaches the end of tenure.

Mallyon’s extensive experience in the creative industries includes being executive director of the Royal Shakespeare Company until 2023, and deputy chief executive of Southbank Centre. She is currently chair of Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust and executive director, transition, at Sadler’s Wells.

Recent board memberships include West Midlands Combined Authority Cultural Leadership Board, and the Creative Industries Federation.

Mallyon said: “Creative UK demonstrates the extraordinary societal impact of our creative industries, whilst showcasing the UK as a global leader in creativity and innovation.

“I am looking forward to working alongside the inspiring team and Board to grow and enable the UK’s shared creative future, achieving this through celebration, connectivity, advocacy and the provision of resources and financial opportunities.”

Creative UK is the national membership body for the UK’s cultural and creative industries. In April last year, ahead of the general election, the organisation launched a manifesto called Our Creative Future, calling for: greater access to creative education; maintaining the UK’s ‘gold standard’ Intellectual Property protections for the cultural and creative Industries in the age of AI; the appointment of a new government freelance commissioner, and a new Cultural Touring Agreement with the EU to allow enhanced freedom of movement for UK creatives.