About

About Charts

The CHARTS network was conceived through the desire to create a sustainable future for the Culture, Heritage and Arts sector in Argyll.

CHARTS is a member-guided charity (SCIO) which aims to:

• Foster collaborative working across the whole Culture Heritage and Arts sector.
• Create events and products that are of sufficient quality and scale to be marketable at the highest level.  
• Create an environment that supports sustainability for sole traders and micro-businesses so they can afford to stay in Argyll and the Isles.
• Be an advocate for the needs and benefits of cultural activity.

About Our Structure

The Culture, Heritage and Arts Assembly (CHARTS) is constituted as a two-tier Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).  This comprises a Board of Trustees and members, who are also supported by a regional Steering Group. Sector representatives communicate the needs of the sector to the Director.

CHARTS network members have the right to attend members' meetings (including any annual general meeting) and have important powers under the constitution; in particular, the members have the right to appoint people to serve on the board and take decisions on changes to the constitution itself.

The organisation will have no fewer than 20 members at any time. Membership is open to any individual aged 16 or over who is a member of any of the geographic or thematic cultural hubs in Argyll and Bute. Membership is also available to practitioners nationally and internationally, collaborating with the organisation or with a particular association to development in the region.

About the Board

Jo McLean (Chair)
A former Classical musician, Jo is a relationship builder with 10 years’ experience as a leader in the cultural sector. Jo has worked across sectors producing large scale events, often outdoors, and with an international scope. Her passion is for helping organisations improve their performance, whether that be through facilitating dialogue about purpose and goals, innovating business models, streamlining and digitising work processes or bringing people together to shape and align behind a vision. Jo has led and directed a number of ambitious projects aimed at cultural transformation delivering increased impact, though a progression of senior Executive and Board roles. After nearly five years leading The Touring Network, Jo has recently moved to a new role as Executive Director at The Clod Ensemble. She will split her time between London and Scotland.

Seymour Adams
Seymour Adams was Director of Corporate Governance at Croydon University Hospital NHS Trust from 2011 to 2014, having previously been Head of Corporate Governance at NHS London and, before that, Head of Human Rights in the UK Ministry of Justice. He was a non Executive Director of the Scotland Office from 2007 - 2015 (and Chair of its Audit Committee 2012-15). He is currently Chair of Historic Kilbride, and of the Lorn Archaeological and Historical Society; joint Secretary of the Oban Music Society and a member of the Scottish Community Heritage Alliance Working Group.

Councillor, Ross Moreland
Ross Moreland is the newest member to the CHARTS board having been appointed as part of the new council. Ross is a first time councillor from Dunoon who was elected in May. Having grown up in and now living in the local community Ross is keenly aware of the unique community that Argyll has to offer. During the last five years Ross has been working towards a History degree with the Open University which he received in July, and is looking forward to working with CHARTS going forward.

Dr Michael Pierre Johnson
Dr Michael Pierre Johnson is a Creative Economy Innovation Leadership Fellow at The Glasgow School of Art’s Innovation School and GSA Programme Lead for MSc International Management and Design Innovation. His research uses co-design practices, visual mapping and modelling methods to support and evaluate creative collaboration between different expertise, stakeholders and publics in the face of shared societal challenges. Between 2019 and 2021, he delivered research partnerships with a cultural hub network in Bristol and Bath, NEoN digital arts festival in Dundee and CHARTS Argyll and Isles, as part of an AHRC-funded leadership fellowship, to support strategic sustainable development for creative microenterprises and place-based collaborations.

Julian Forrester
Julian Forrester was born in Lanarkshire and read English at McGill University in Montreal. From the mid-1970s he was Producer for the Clarence Brown Company, a touring theatre based at the University of Tennessee, and then Director of the World Festival at the 1982 World's Fair. He returned to the UK in 1984 as Producer for Anthony Quayle’s Compass Theatre and then in 1995 became freelance as an adviser to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Dean Clough and the Prudential Awards for the Arts, among others. From 2000 he has been involved with Cove Park, first as an adviser, latterly as Director. Julian retired from Cove Park early in 2021.

About The Steering Group

The Steering Group is a key part of the operational infrastructure of CHARTS as a member-guided organisation. It is designed to both represent our membership and maximise the impact of our services. Members are invited to represent Argyll and Bute local council areas and include arts, heritage and strategic expertise:

• Regional members - cultural leaders with local and national reputations
• Strategic support -  Argyll and Bute Council, Economic Development, Gaelic, Creative Education; University of Highland and Islands 

Steering Group members are expected to:

• Attend regular group meetings
• Feed into the direction of CHARTS’ core activity
• Maintain contact with members at a local level to disseminate information
• Offer hands-on project support as appropriate

Members include:

• Oban - Carol Devine, The Rockfield Centre 
• Lorne & Isles - Currently Vacant
• Mid Argyll - Brian Barker, Artmap
• Kintyre & Isles - Iain Johnson, Kintyre Cultural Forum 
• Bute and Cowal - Holly McAllister, Dunoon Burgh Hall and Julie Tait, Rothesay Pavilion
• Helensburgh & Lomond - Alexia Holt, Cove Park
• Islands - Jen Skinner, Screen Argyll 
• Membership Support - Giles Perring, Jura
• Culture & Heritage Planning - Eleanor McKinnon, Oban

Contact the Steering Group via the Steering Group contact form to discuss ideas. This form is designed to help support our members and provide information to the Steering Group, helping us better understand and respond to local area needs.

About Staff

CHARTS has a small staff team and commissions project staff. Please see our Showcase page for project staff details.

Kathleen O’Neill, Director 

Kathleen has extensive national and international leadership experience, including arts, heritage museums and regeneration projects and is a Board member of Museums Galleries Scotland. Kathleen is a former member of the International Think Tank, Creative Scotland, is an alumni of the Byam Shaw School of Art and holds an MSc in Environment, Policy and Heritage, from the University of Stirling.

As Director, Kathleen has an overview to continually develop the impact of CHARTS.

kathleen@chartsargyllandisles.org

Kirsten Millar, Communications and Marketing Manager

Kirsten Millar is an artist living and working on the West Coast of Scotland her artistic practice is centred around the industrial heritage of Argyll and perceptions of Scottish landscapes. Kirsten has a BA and MA in Contemporary Art Practice and SCQF level 6 in digital marketing obtained through the CHARTS Modern Apprenticeship scheme.  

As Communications and Marketing Manager, Kirsten continually aims to raise the profile of CHARTS work managing digital and print media, website and socials, with close communications with all project managers and contributes to all evaluation processes. Kirsten works closely with CHARTS 500+ members of individuals and organisations across the arts and heritage sector to amplify their voices while managing day-to-day operations.

kirstenm@chartsargyllandisles.org

Caitlin McNeill, Islands Project Officer 

Caitlin McNeill is based on her home island of Colonsay, one of Argyll’s most remote communities. Caitlin has a background in community development, a law degree and has been involved in Colonsay Community Development Company (CCDC) as their Director and as CCDC’s Local Development Officer.

As Islands Officer, Caitlin’s post is designed to assist island communities in Argyll and Bute, supporting new and existing arts, culture, and heritage projects and helping to reinvigorate local economies. Caitlin works with additional staff team members and the CHARTS Steering Group to grow creative networks and projects across island communities to develop visitor experiences sensitive to island needs. This role is funded by the Scottish Government, supported by  Argyll and Bute Council.

caitlin@chartsargyllandisles.org

Àdhamh Ó Broin, Oifigear Cultair Ghàidhlig / Gaelic Culture Officer

Àdhamh Ó Broin is a Gael of mixed Irish and Scottish Highland ancestry, brought up between mainland Argyll and Glasgow. Àdhamh has been involved in the arts his entire adult life as a Gaelic Consultant, Film Producer, Write, MC and Multi-Instrumentalist Composer. He is a passionate Gaelic speaker, singer and tradition bearer. 

As Gaelic Culture Officer, Àdhamh is responsible for the strategic development of Gaelic cultural services for Argyll and Bute. This includes designing and supporting projects and award schemes and promoting the CHARTS network among Gaelic arts, heritage, and cultural communities.

This role is designed to meet key cultural objectives aligned with the Argyll and Bute Gaelic Language Plan and the National Language Plan. This role is funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and supported by Argyll and Bute Council.

gaelic@chartsargyllandisles.org

Muriel MacKaveney, CHARTS Project Worker 

Muriel has an MLitt Scottish Heritage from the University of the Highlands and Islands and has extensive knowledge of Argyll culture and heritage.  Muriel's main focus in Heritage has been on intangible cultural heritage, particularly traditional music, people's lived experiences, folklore and stories. 

Muriel works with CHARTS on many projects across services, focusing on exercising infrastructure and enabling opportunities for heritage and young people.

muriel@chartsargyllandisles.org

Our policies

Child protection policy

Conflict of interest policy

Complaints procedure policy

Environmental policy

Equalities and diversity policy

Gaelic policy 

Support policy

Vulnerable adults policy

Privacy Policy

Our Partners and useful organisations

CHARTS was developed through Creative Scotland’s Place Partnership Programme, with additional European funding secured through the Leader programme. CHARTS works collaboratively with a number of key funders and organisations who help support and inform our direction; 

Creative Scotland 

Argyll and Bute Council  

Highlands and Islands Enterprise 

Wild About Argyll

Business Gateway

Bòrd na Gàidhlig

Argyll and the Islands LEADER Programme

Our Funders (2022-2023)

CHARTS is currently funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Argyll and Bute Council. Other support includes the Innovation School at Glasgow School of Art, Museum and Galleries Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, and Rewards Training Scotland.