Watts Gallery Trust is an independent charity, established in 1904, devoted to managing and celebrating the legacy of George Frederic Watts OM RA and his wife, Mary Seton Watts. GF Watts, was a portraitist, sculptor, landscape painter and symbolist, considered to be one of the leading artists of the nineteenth century. He married Mary Watts in 1886 and, as part of the couple’s life-long artistic partnership, they established Limnerslease, the former home of George and Mary, the Grade I listed Watts Cemetery Chapel, designed by Mary, the Pottery Building, that formerly housed the Compton Potters Arts Guild, and Watts Gallery, established in 1904 as the UK’s first single artist museum. Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village is a leading regional visitor attraction and currently an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).

The Wattses were supporters of the transformational power of the arts and champions of progressive ideas for social reform. The Watts Gallery Trust is devoted to the presentation and conservation of its important collections and its high-profile exhibition programme. Additionally, the Trust delivers an ambitious and far-reaching engagement and learning programme, working in prisons, in the local community and onsite with some of the most vulnerable in society to share the founders’ deeply held ethos of Arts for All. The Trust also manages the Artist’s Studio Museum Network of 151 artist’s studio museums across Europe, as well as the thriving Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village, located in Compton, outside Guildford.

From the beautiful and inspiring setting of Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village, situated in the Surrey Hills, the Charity's mission is to welcome everyone to connect with the art and ideas of its founders, George and Mary Watts. By caring for the collections and its environment, the Trust advocates for the power, impact and relevance of art onsite, online, with its community and via its international network of artist’s studio museums. The Gallery's dynamic and multi-sensory programme of exploring, looking and making, takes people out of the everyday, into new encounters that invite them to view life through a different lens.

As a trustee, the successful candidate will provide support to the Brice Director & Chief Executive and work with the Chair, Deputy Chair and other trustees in delivering the organisational vision and strategy. They will also be a company Director of Watts Gallery Trust, fulfilling all the statutory requirements of that role in compliance with the Companies Act 2006. In this role, the candidate will actively fulfil the duties of a charity trustee and be familiar with these responsibilities. They will introduce new networks to Watts Gallery Trust and promote and advocate for Watts Gallery Trust externally.

The appointed candidates will have induction and training, the opportunity to develop new skills and to take collective strategic decisions. Trustees are able to network with senior professionals in the arts and our community, and shape the strategy for Watts Gallery Trust’s art programmes and projects, improving outcomes for audiences near and far.

Watts Gallery Trust is seeking two dynamic and engaged individuals to join as Trustees on its Board. The successful candidates will be appointed as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Buildings Committee, and as an Education and Learning Trustee. Most importantly, they will be committed to developing an organisation and audience that represents the diverse community that the gallery serves.

Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Buildings Committee: The ideal candidate will have significant current or previous experience as an Accountant / Finance Director / CFO / Chief Executive or similar role responsible for financial management or financial oversight in a commercial or charitable organisation. They will also have a good understanding of charity accounting principles, and an interest in the arts and cultural heritage. As Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Buildings Committee, the candidate will provide support to the Head of Finance & Resources and the Director & Chief Executive in managing the charity and work with Chair, Deputy Chair and other trustees and committee chairs in providing suitable oversight of the charity and its activities.

Education and Learning Trustee: The ideal candidate will have a background in learning and engagement with and for children and young people (whether at primary, secondary, Further or Higher Education level) to provide strategic input into our acclaimed community learning and engagement programmes. They will have significant current or previous experience in this area to draw from, either based in the arts and cultural heritage sectors, or more widely in formal education settings, and will not currently have direct funding or partnership links to Watts Gallery Trust. As a Trustee, the appointed candidate will provide support to the Head of Learning and Engagement and to the Brice Director & Chief Executive in managing the dynamic, multi-sensory and intergenerational community learning and engagement programme, which includes work onsite at Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village, offsite in the community or in secure settings, and online. They will provide strategic input into the development of the learning and engagement strategy and support the identification of new long-term partnerships in this field.

On a personal level, candidates should have a passion and commitment for the cause of the charity and an interest in supporting its mission of Art for All. The charity is open to receiving applications from those who are seeking their first board-level role, as long as they are able to work collaboratively and constructively as a member of the Board.

More information about Watts Gallery Trust and the Treasurer role can be found here.

More information about Watts Gallery Trust and the Education and Learning Trustee role can be found here.

MaryAnne Stevens, Chair
Matthew Bowcock CBE
Thea Adair
George Anson
Martin Beisly
Deborah Brice
Alistair Burtenshaw
Matthew Holt
Michaela MacIntyre
Dame Magdalene Odundo
Dr Malcolm Rogers CBE

The role is unremunerated but reasonable standard travel and incidental expenses expended to fulfil board duties are provided. Trustees meet four times a year, in London and Compton, and all trustees are expected to participate in at least one sub-committee. These include the Appeal Committee, Collections and Exhibitions Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, Finance and Buildings Committee, Gardens and Grounds Committee, Nominations Committee and the Trading Company Board. In most instances these committees meet three or four times a year in Compton or London. Trustees devote approximately one day a month to their role, on or off-site. In-person attendance for most meetings is preferred.

Candidates should be based in the community of the charity (defined as within a one-hour drive time of the gallery).

Watts Gallery Trust is committed to addressing inequality in the arts and ensuring equality of opportunity in employment and in its governance positions. It considers diversity a strength and is keen to make its workforce and Board more representative of different backgrounds and experiences. Watts Gallery Trust strongly encourages applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic, young, disabled, LGBTQI+, from a low-income background, or living or working in areas of socioeconomic deprivation in our region.