The announcement follows the news that Rick Walker will be retiring in February 2022 after 21 years with the charity, 17 as Director.
Rick says: ‘It has been a great privilege to steer Cartwheel through some turbulent times and I am enormously proud of the achievements of the charity and the impact that we have made, not least during the pandemic when we led the cultural sector’s contribution to the community response in Rochdale borough. I am sad to go with so many exciting developments on the horizon, but it is time for fresh eyes. Hebe has a fantastic track record in participatory arts and I am really looking forward to seeing what direction she takes the company in.’
Hebe started in post in January for a handover period with Rick. She says: ‘I am honoured to be taking over the role of Director at Cartwheel. The organisation, under Rick’s leadership, has delivered hundreds of creative, ambitious and life-changing projects, the impact of which have been felt locally and contributed to national conversations around best practise in the participatory arts. As we emerge from the pandemic this is an exciting time for Cartwheel and I am thrilled to be the newly appointed Director. I look forward to working closely with the team and local communities to continue to deliver an engaging and ambitious programme of work.’
Cartwheel Arts work in Greater Manchester with a focus on Rochdale borough. Their tagline is Art for a Reason, and they use arts projects to address social issues and tackle inequalities. For more information about how you can get involved with their work please visit their website www.cartwheelarts.org.uk or phone 01706 361300.