Meet the team behind the Worthing's arts provision

An important year beckons for the new charity behind cultural life in Worthing.
Andrew CombenAndrew Comben
Andrew Comben

On November 1, management of Worthing Theatres and Worthing Museum and Art Gallery was transferred from Worthing Borough Council to an independent charity.

Worthing Theatres and Museum (WTM) is a charity led by a cross-section of corporate and cultural leaders recently appointed as trustees; Peter Cadwallader, Scott Marshall, Simon Parsonage, Cepta Kelly, Andrew Comben and Louise Burgess, all business people based in West and East Sussex.

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Their task is to develop the cultural charity, creating a viable business to support creative programming and partnership projects as well as ensuring everyone in the business community becomes familiar with the work of WTM.

Peter Cadwallader, chairman of WTM, is a qualified solicitor and entrepreneur having previously worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP, DMH Stallard LLP and wealth management firm Maitland Advisory LLP.

Peter is an experienced property developer and co-founded Uplift in 2013, a residential development company with a substantial portfolio. He has recently acquired his first hotel in Eastbourne with ambitions to expand his hotel business across UK seaside towns.

Peter said he was delighted to welcome the board: “Between them, they bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge and a passion for the arts and heritage which will be of huge benefit to WTM as it moves into this next chapter.”

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Scott Marshall (vice chairman), is a regeneration professional with more than 28 years experience in delivering central and local governments’ economic growth and cultural agendas. He has provided strategic advice to both public and private sector clients on some of the south coast’s largest regeneration projects including the American Express Community Stadium, Preston Barracks, i360 and Circus Street. Scott is former director of culture, housing and regeneration at Brighton and Hove City Council and director for the economy at Adur and Worthing Councils.

Cepta Kelly is a qualified solicitor who trained and worked in a London law firm before moving in-house with a large multinational. She has had a long and varied in-house career. In 2013 Cepta relocated permanently to the south coast and is currently the legal director of a local medical device manufacturing business.

Louise Burgess has worked in human resources for 18 years. Louise joined a Worthing company employing more than 250 people in January 2015. She has particularly enjoyed the challenge of developing employee relations and engagement with a diverse range of people across all levels of the company.

Andrew Comben joined Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival as chief executive in 2008, establishing the guest director model for Brighton Festival and developing a new vision for the organisation as a year-round centre of artistic activity and involving all areas of the community in the performing arts.

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Simon Parsonage as a qualified chartered accountant has worked in a number of industries including ship repair, construction, IT and communications, farming and fresh produce.