Headshot of Rebecca Ball
Changing Faces

ACE appoints new Director for the North

Ruth Hogarth
2 min read

REBECCA BALL has been selected as Arts Council England's new Area Director, North, succeeding SARAH MAXFIELD who will step down at the end of this month.

Maxfield has served with Arts Council since 2010, leading the North West and then the North team. During her leadership, she has overseen significant developments including two successful UK City of Culture bids, from Hull and Bradford, and major capital developments like Aviva Studios in Manchester, the new home of Factory International.

Ball, currently Chief Executive of Sunderland Culture, will take up her post in August. She has more than 20 years' experience in the arts and culture sector, including as Arts Council Director of Arts for the South East.

Ball joined the Sunderland Culture as Creative Director shortly after it launched in 2017 and before that she led Sunderland’s City of Culture bid. She has lived in the North East since 2011 when she took up the role of General Manager and Producer at a Newcastle theatre company, before being appointed Project Director of Creative People and Places project The Cultural Spring in Sunderland and South Tyneside.
 
LAURA DYER, Deputy Chief Executive at Arts Council England, said: “Whilst I am incredibly sad to see Sarah leave as she has been a brilliant colleague and strong and effective advocate for the North I look forward to working with Rebecca whose passion and integrity shone through in the recruitment process.”  
 
Reflecting on her time at ACE, Maxfield said: “It’s been such a pleasure to work with cultural organisations, artists and our partners in local government right across the North these past 14 years. I’m extremely proud of what they have achieved, and continue to achieve, with Arts Council support.” 
 
Ball commented on her appointment: “I am thrilled to be re-joining Arts Council England this summer. I’m really looking forward to working with artists, creative organisations and partners from across the North to support and champion the tremendous creativity and culture in this part of the country.”
 
The Arts Council’s North area covers the regions of the North East, Yorkshire and the North West.