Wendy Smithers

Senior Associate [and Co-founder]

Wendy was one of the hub’s founding directors in 2002, bringing to the team a passion for helping artists and arts organisations of all scales and at all levels reach their potential. Today she is one of our most experienced associates, and brings to our projects 20 years experience and specialist knowledge of strategy and business planning across all artforms, the creative industries, crafts and heritage.

Prior to the hub, Wendy’s career spanned award-winning national radio station Classic FM and international arts venue The Barbican where highlights included working on a range of international festivals and events featuring everyone from the mighty James Brown to the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago, Screen Talks with icon Richard Attenborough and exhibitions by everyone from Joseph Beuys to Eve Arnold.

At the::hub, Wendy has worked predominantly on strategy, business planning and fundraising for a range of clients including British Council, Birds Eye View, Leeds Rhinos, Voluntary Arts and a range of music, theatre, opera, film and literature companies. Wendy has also spent the last 10 years sharing her experiences as a passionate and engaging trainer and mentor in a range of professional and voluntary arts settings. Wendy specialises in topics including business planning and strategy, good governance and management, fundraising and sponsorship and dealing with difficult conversations and conflict.

Wendy is a Trustee of The Ministry of Stories, a creative writing and mentoring centre for young people in East London, and of the RC Sherriff Trust. In her spare time Wendy likes to run (slowly), make cakes (reasonably well), read contemporary fiction (quickly – there are so many novels to get through) and beat her family at Monopoly and Scrabble (with limited success).