New COO for Bristol’s Colston Hall
Bristol Music Trust, the operator of the largest concert hall in south-west England, Colston Hall, has appointed a new COO as it gears up for a major programme of refurbishment.
New chief operating officer Clare Jack, most recently development director at Bath Festivals, will work closely with trust CEO Louise Mitchell to “take a strategic overview of the financial, commercial and operational competitiveness of the organisation” and “[drive] forward the financial imperatives of the business in order to support, develop and sustain [its] charitable objectives”, reads a statement from the charity.
Prior to joining Bath Festivals, which organises multi-arts festivals in the city of the same name, Mitchell was executive director at Bradford-upon-Avon venue Wiltshire Music Centre.
“She will be vital to our work of ensuring the success of our exciting transformation project”
The 1,932-capacity Colston Hall, named for 17th-century businessman and philanthropist Edward Colston, announced in April it is to rebrand ahead of its reopening after a multimillion-pound programme of redevelopment. The venue’s association with Colston has been controversial due to his role in the slave trade; “the name ‘Colston’ does not reflect the trust’s values as a progressive, forward-thinking and open arts organisation,” said Mitchell at the time.
Commenting on Jack’s hiring, Mitchell says: “We are delighted that Clare Jack will be joining us at such an important time for Bristol Music Trust and Colston Hall. Clare has an outstanding track record of shaping the commercial and operational arms of businesses, as well as being a passionate lover of music and the arts.
“She will be vital to our work of ensuring the success of our exciting transformation project of our main hall and lantern buildings and helping us to be business ready for the reopening of our concert hall in 2020.”
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