Anthem, the fund for young people’s music in Wales, appoints its first Chief Executive
18th September 2020
Anthem, the fund for young people’s music in Wales, has appointed its first permanent Chief Executive, Rhian Hutchings. Rhian is well known in the music sector in Wales and has a strong track record in community and participatory music and music education. She will take up the full-time post from 1st October.
Anthem was launched in 2018 and is a charity set up to ensure that music-making can be part of every young person’s life in Wales, and can help them to achieve their potential.
Rhian brings considerable experience to the role of CEO, and has been active in the music sector in Wales for the last 15 years. She was Creative Director for community opera company, Operasonic, based in Newport from 2014, and Director of Youth & Community for Welsh National Opera from 2008 – 2014. She is also currently Chair of RESEO – the Opera, Music and Dance Education Network for Europe and former Partnership Manager for ArtWorks Cymru, the participatory arts network.
“Anthem has an extremely important job to do,” said Rhian. “Our culture has music at its heart and yet, the pathways to, and progression routes in music have been seriously eroded over the last ten years. The board has already begun its work to build a long-term, sustainable future for young people’s music in Wales, in partnership with young people and those who work with them; philanthropists, trusts; foundations and businesses. I am thrilled to be joining them at this vital time in Anthem’s development – coming as it is at a very difficult time for the whole of the music and youth sector and the country.”
David Alston, Acting Chair for Anthem noted: “During the recruitment process we saw evidence of the passion people share for improving access, confidence, and diversity for our young people and their music. Rhian has shown great commitment to Wales’s young people and making a difference to their lives and futures. She has qualities of resourcefulness, enthusiasm, drive, understanding and savvy, that we feel will give Anthem resilience to meet its challenges.”
Over the coming months, Anthem will be building up a focussed executive team and developing the full range of its fund-raising strategies to support its core vision.
To keep informed, sign up to Anthem’s enewsletter on www.anthem.cymru, or follow Anthem on Facebook @AnthemCymru (www.facebook.com/AnthemCymru) or Twitter @Anthem_Cymru (www.twitter.com/Anthem_Cymru).
