Kingsgate Workshops Trust seeks to appoint two new roles to join its Board of Trustees; Chair of the Board and a Trustee with financial experience to act as the Board's Treasurer.

Summary

Kingsgate Workshops Trust (KWT) is a provider of affordable studios and workshops for artists and craft makers, occupying an old Victorian building in London NW6.

The Board of Trustees are unpaid volunteers for the charity (registration number 1082112) who have ultimate responsibility for directing the charity, its assets and its activities. It is responsible for ensuring the charity fulfils its charitable objects and for overseeing its management. The Board includes Trustees with experience in with a range of legal, charity, commercial, property and arts experience. Most are local.

About Kingsgate Workshops & Project Space

Kingsgate Workshops is a provider of affordable studios and workshops in Kilburn, London NW6 for artists and craft makers. We currently offer 43 self-contained and secure studios within a large Victorian warehouse building located on a residential street. KWT purchased a long lease on our building in 2005. With 3 years remaining until our building loans are fully repaid this is a key time for the organisation to plan for an exciting future.

Our cohort of studio licensees include makers who have been with us for 30+ years and others who are newly graduated, emerging practitioners. Approximately 60% of our studio users are involved in crafts including jewellery, ceramics, glass and furniture making. 40% of our studios are used by painters, sculptors, printmakers and interdisciplinary artists. This mix of skills and methodologies makes Kingsgate a lively and friendly working environment where collaboration and support between makers is common.

Most studios are lone working spaces, some are shared by 2 or more makers, and some studios host regular classes or provide space for supervised and supported access to facilities such as ceramic kilns. Over 100 people use Kingsgate Workshops every week, and arts and craft works by our makers have recently been exhibited in Collect, London; Turner Contemporary, Margate; Compton Verney Museum, Warwickshire; Mendes Wood Gallery, São Paulo; Sadie Coles Gallery, London and The British Ceramics Biennial, Stoke-on-Trent. Our makers have also brought joy into many homes through TV shows The Great Pottery Throwdown and All That Glitters.

10% of incomes from studio rents support a programme of public-facing exhibitions, events and residencies that take place at Kingsgate Project Space. This programme works with artists at key stages in their professional development offering critical conversation, production and sharing space for the testing of ideas and art works. Kingsgate contributes to London’s artistic landscape, and to its diverse and empowered future, by creating idiosyncratic opportunities for artists who do not, or do not yet have similar opportunities elsewhere.

We are looking for enthusiastic, engaged and collaborative individuals looking to make a distinctive contribution to KWT.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for KWT as it seeks to fulfil its charitable objects, ensuring it operates in accordance with its governing document and meet its legal and regulatory obligations.

You will be able to act with tact and diplomacy, possess the ability to listen and engage effectively, and foster and promote a collaborative environment. Board meetings will be places where all participants are encouraged to contribute, constructively challenge, express diverse views and develop consensus. You will bring an external, independent perspective to the Board, lead on strategy development and help the charity grow.

You will be able to motivate the staff team and provide support, and where appropriate challenge, to the Director through your responsibility as their line manager.

You will have the time and sensitivity to work with all KWT’s internal and external stakeholders to strengthen relationships and help KWT grow.

You will have a good understanding of charity governance, financial matters and of the pressures put upon a small organisation managing a large building with many studio-holders. You will further need to ensure that the board of Trustees is regularly refreshed, is diverse and incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the Trust effectively.

We are seeking an experienced trustee to become out Chair. You will ideally have senior-level experience of working within the charity or arts sectors. Knowledge of how artist’s studios, or charity-managed large buildings are run, would be particularly welcomed.

The diversity of the Board continues as a priority and KWT welcomes applications from anyone not disqualified from serving as a charity Trustee.

As the Trustee with Financial experience, you will be responsible for working with the Director to present and explain KWT's state of finances to Trustees, to identify risks and recommend how to mitigate against them. Your background is likely to be as an accountant, finance manager or similar. The charity's turnover is under £0.5m.

There is no obligation for you to have previously served on a board before becoming a Trustee at KWT. We are currently looking to recruit a trustee with financial experience to become the board's treasurer.

Job Requirements

All Trustees are expected to provide strategic and governance oversight of KWT by working with the other members of the Board to support the Director of KWT to ensure good governance and help plan and fulfil the strategic aims of the charity as well as:

Supporting and advising the Executive team in your areas of expertise

Being collectively responsible for the governance of the charity with the other board members, ensuring that KWT acts in accordance with its governing documents and applicable legislation

Ensuring that KWT uses its resources exclusively to further its charitable objects

Exercising control over the financial affairs of KWT and protecting its assets, ensuring that the charity is financially sustainable

Carrying out your duties and making decisions at all times in the best interests of KWT

Attending and contributing to Board Meetings

Acting as an ambassador for KWT.

From 2024, the Board of Trustees will meet 5 times a year. Board meetings take place on a weekday evening between 6.30-8.30pm, in person at the charity’s premises in London NW6.

Additionally, the Board holds an annual Awayday to focus on strategic matters and hosts bi-annual Q&A sessions with the studio-holders.

The appointment will commence in the New Year for a three-year term, in the first instance.