We are thrilled to announce that six new Trustees have joined our board, with expertise spanning capital development projects, community engagement, and contemporary art. Our new Trustees are Graham Devine, Dr Rosalind Hayes, Nicoletta Lambertucci, Patrycja Loranc, Henry Mulhall and Jenny Tipton.
Graham Devine is a charity governance and placemaking specialist. He served as Honorary Secretary and Trustee of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and currently chairs LHC Design’s Strategic Board, leading the practice’s latest business plan and succession planning. Graham teaches at the University of Plymouth as an Associate Tutor, and was the Chair of Torbridge Partnership as well as a member of the Plymouth Skills Board.
Graham says: “I’ve lived most of my life in Plymouth, and my interest in the city’s cultural landscape goes back more than 30 years. One of my earliest experiences of contemporary art was in the late 1980s, when I first encountered works such as Donald Rodney’s installation at The Battery on Mount Edgcumbe, Vong Phaophanit’s piece in the former Millbay Laundry, and Richard Deacon’s Moor on the viaduct at Victoria Park. Those moments mark the beginning of my long‑standing connection to arts in the city. Over the last decade I’ve supported KARST as it has developed its programme and secured Arts Council capital funding, helping the organisation strengthen its role in Plymouth’s cultural life. I’m committed to Plymouth and to the organisations that shape its cultural identity, and I’m pleased to support KARST’s work as a Trustee.”
Dr Rosalind Hayes is an art historian from Plymouth who currently works at Durham University. Prior to this, she worked at UCL, University of Exeter, Art Fund, Art History Link-Up, and Rupert (LT), and has contributed art criticism to titles including Art Monthly, Oxford Art Journal, and Burlington Contemporary. Currently based in Newcastle, she recently started surfing lessons in the North Sea.
Rosalind says: “As someone who grew up in Plymouth and went on to study and work in the arts, KARST is a really important place for me personally because, not only is the programming consistently ambitious and exciting, they also welcomed me as a volunteer in 2015 during which I learned loads and met many wonderful people. It’s been great to see KARST grow from strength to strength, creating a boundary-pushing space that stays true to the belief that contemporary art should be accessible to everyone. I’m delighted to join the KARST board and look forward to supporting the brilliant team as they continue to foster a welcoming space for art, experimentation and creative development both within the region and on a national level.”
Nicoletta Lambertucci is an Italian curator based in London. Since 2024, she has worked at Tate as Curator of Modern and Contemporary British Art, where she is responsible for devising collection displays, exhibitions, and acquisitions. From 2017 to 2023, she served as the inaugural Contemporary Art Curator at The Box, Plymouth. She played a pivotal role in overseeing its opening in 2020 and led numerous significant acquisitions, commissions, and exhibitions, including solo shows by Leonor Antunes, Sue Williamson, and John Akomfrah.
Nicoletta says: “I’ve been following KARST’s trajectory for years, because visual art needs grass-roots, fearless spaces where artists can take risks, and I’m excited to help support that mission and legacy from the inside.”
Patrycja Loranc is an experimental filmmaker, artist, and PhD researcher at the University of Plymouth. She is also a film programmer, cultural organiser, part of a film/sound duo Seaing/Hereing, and one of the directors of Elevation Film Festival. As the Core Lead at Plymouth Octopus, she contributes to supporting grassroots and community activity in the city. Her Autistic and ADHD experiences inform her practice-research into sensory sensitivities and make her passionate about neuroinclusion, diversity, and accessibility in the arts.
Patrycja says: “I am interested in what true inclusion looks like in connecting people of all backgrounds to contemporary art. The importance of this extends beyond purely aesthetic awareness, into deeper connections to the world we live in, and the building of sociopolitical resilience. I am excited to be joining KARST’s Board to develop my skills, and to bring my curiosity, connections, and perspective as a neurodivergent artist.”
Henry Mulhall recently completed a PhD in Arts Management and Cultural Policy, where he developed several creative, practice-based methods for researching with art and community professionals. His research focuses on how arts management, cultural policy, community action and arts practice intersect in placemaking agendas in Union Street and Milbay. He has worked as an evaluator/consultant on community and public art projects since 2018. Henry is co-lead on Cards on the Table (COTT), a game that encourages inclusive critical dialogue and collective reflection.
Henry says: “KARST is and has always been an exciting space, offering something unique to Plymouth. I’ve conducted extensive research into Union Street and Milbay’s cultural and community ecosystem and am eager to contribute that knowledge to the board, while also gaining first-hand experience of NPO governance”
Jenny Tipton is an artist-curator who prioritises slow methods of event and exhibition making. Tipton centres artists and communities in their work, with supportive infrastructures and site-specific commissions, embedding a transdisciplinary approach to art forms and collaboration. Tipton currently works as Curator at Tate St Ives, developing public practice and learning programmes for intergenerational community audiences. They also work as an independent curator, often under the name Cabbage. Through Cabbage they have developed a programme of artist-led exhibitions, performance and moving image events.
Jenny says: “I’m thrilled to be joining the team at KARST as a trustee. Having grown up on the South Coast I’ve always seen them as a beacon for contemporary art in the region. It’s an exciting time for the organisation and the team is working really hard to achieve so much – I’m really looking forward to contributing to their vision for supporting artists, and engaging audiences & communities in Plymouth, the UK and internationally.”
