FACT Liverpool, the UK’s leading centre for art, film and the creative use of
technology, announces 7 new trustees and its second board artist-in-residence.
Suzie Norton, Founder Director of Zanna Creative, takes up the role of Chair of FACT’s
Board of Trustees.
Suzie Norton brings over 25 years of experience within the UK’s creative and cultural
sectors. Suzie is an experienced leader with specific expertise in formulating national and
regional creative industries strategy, organisational and board development, partnership
and stakeholder management, and advocacy. She brings a wealth of experience to FACT
from senior positions in various fields including as CEO of a regional screen agency, a
Political Correspondent in Westminster, BBC Senior Broadcast Journalist, Director of a film
office and an independent feature film producer. Suzie takes over from Rachel Higham,
Chief Information Officer at WPP, following Rachel’s 6 year tenure.
Artist Rehana Zaman joins as FACT’s second annual board artist-in-residence, a unique
initiative in which an artist is invited to approach the sphere of governance and its
exchanges as an art medium.
Rehana Zaman is an artist working with moving image and performance. Raised in
Heckmondwike (West Yorkshire) and now based in London, Rehana has exhibited widely in
the UK and internationally including Serpentine Projects (forthcoming), British Art Show 9,
ICA Miami and Liverpool Biennial. Her artistic practice is concerned with notions of kinship
and social relations, seeking out possibilities of intimacy and disruption within hostile
contexts. Conversation and cooperative methods sit at the heart of her work. Following the
launch of FACT’s annual board of trustees’ artist residency in 2021 (with inaugural artist
Jack Ky Tan), Rehana joins the centre for a twelve month artistic intervention. She has
previously been shortlisted for the Film London Jarman Award and her films are distributed
by LUX.
Suzie Norton and Rehana Zaman are joined by six new appointments to the board:
- Ruth Catlow, Artist and Curator, Co-Director of Furtherfield
- Álvaro Costela Sánchez, Marketing & Communications Manager, Liverpool ONE
- Chloe Courtney, Executive Director, China Plate
- Maleka Egeonu-Roby, Junior Project Manager of Liverpool City Region’s Race
Equality Programme and Member of Merseyside Caribbean Centre - Bea Freeman, Film Director/Producer
- Lisa Middleton, Head of Marketing & Brand, National Museums Liverpool
Nicola Triscott, CEO/Director, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new Chair, Suzie
Norton, and our new trustees who together bring such depth and breadth of experience to
the Board. We are fortunate to have such a strong and diverse board to help drive and
support FACT’s organisational culture and resilience during a time of great change, building
on the exceptional work of our current trustees and previous Chair, Rachel Higham. I look
forward to working with them all as we look towards the future, including the 20th
anniversary of FACT on Wood Street in 2023.”
Suzie Norton, Chair of the Board, said: “I am honoured to be appointed the new Chair of
FACT Liverpool, an organisation with a rich history and exciting future. I hope that my
experience built over a quarter of a century working in the UK creative industries, especially
the screen industry, will provide the Board of Trustees, the wonderful team and many
stakeholders with the strategic leadership to face the challenges and opportunities facing
this internationally renowned and locally-loved arts organisation”
The new trustees join Vice Chair of the Board Matthew Balnaves (Northern Europe Trade
Manager for Hilti), Jernice Easthope (TV & Film Producer) and Sheralee Lockhart (Director
of People and Operations at akt, the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity).