Chaired by Ruth Mackenzie, General Director, Manchester International Festival
Paul Collard, National Director of Creative Partnerships, the UK Government's flagship programme for creativity in schools. Until December 2004 he was Creative Director of culture10, a high profile programme of cultural events and projects which grew out of Newcastle Gateshead's bid for European Capital of Culture. He has been deeply involved in the arts and regeneration strategies since 1983, working at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and British Film Institute in London, as Director of the UK Year of Visual Arts in the North East of England (1993-97) and Director of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in Connecticut, USA (1997-2001).
Paul Roberts, Director of Strategy, Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA): the author of Nurturing Creativity in Young People, a recent report on creativity, jointly commissioned by DCMS and DfES, he leads on policy, research, evaluation, quality and communications as well as overseeing the Agency’s services in sector specific areas such as sustainable communities, health and social care, the voluntary sector and services for children and young people. After graduating in Philosophy and Mathematics at the University of Bristol he took postgraduate qualifications in Education there and at the Cambridge Institute of Education. He spent thirteen years teaching before becoming an inspector of schools and subsequently a Director of Education. He has been a Board Member of Nottingham Playhouse, is currently adviser to DCMS and DfES on Creativity in Schools, and is chairing the newly formed Culture and Creative Education Advisory Board.