Crafts Council appoints new Chair

JOHN KNELL has been named as the new Chair of Crafts Council beginning this month for a term of four years, having first joined Crafts Council’s board as a trustee in November 2023.

He is an independent cultural policy analyst working with governments, funders, cities and major cultural institutions around the world.

Since 2013, Knell has run Counting What Counts, providing impact evaluation and measurement tools to the cultural sector. This includes Culture Counts and the Impact & Insight Toolkit, used by Arts Council England across its funded portfolio.  

He chaired Sound & Music, the national charity for new music from 2014 to 2019 and has also served on the boards of Demos and Watershed. 
 
Commenting on his appointment Knell said: "I am thrilled to have this opportunity to contribute to Crafts Council's success. I am looking forward to working with staff, trustees and our many supporters and partners to highlight craft's enormous value to society.

"Craft is such a central part of our lives. Enabling makers to have a positive impact on the world will be at the centre of all our efforts." 

Crafts Council’s Executive Director NATALIE MELTON added: “John is a dynamic and progressive figure within the cultural sector, with an innate understanding of the challenges that the cultural sector currently faces. I know he will bring this experience to bear at Crafts Council and guide us towards a bright future."