Dave Moutrey
Appointed from 21 February 2025 to February 2028
Dave is responsible for leading the creation and delivery of Manchester City Council’s cultural and creative industries policy and strategy, working closely with the city’s cultural and creative sectors on joint initiatives. He was appointed to this role after a 6-year part-time secondment to the Council as Director of Culture.
Until March 2024, he was Director and Chief Executive of HOME, a purpose-built multi-art venue that opened in May 2015. He conceived and led the merger of Cornerhouse and Library Theatre Company to create HOME, along with the £25m capital project for the building, which has attracted almost 1 million visits per year since opening. HOME includes 5 cinema screens, education spaces, digital production and broadcast facilities, a 500-seat theatre, 150-seat flexible theatre, a large gallery, café bar, restaurant, offices, and other spaces consistent with a production centre. It provides opportunities for artists and audiences to create work together, as well as a social and cultural hub. Before HOME, Dave was Director and CEO of Cornerhouse from 1998, having established and led the regional arts marketing agency Arts About Manchester.
Dave was awarded an OBE for services to culture in 2022 and a Doctor of Arts honoris causa by the University of Salford in 2018. He is a member of the Chartered Management Institute and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He was previously an advisor to the British Council and still holds several non-executive roles on not-for-profit boards.
James Dacre
Appointed from 21 February 2025 to 20 February 2028
James Dacre is a Director and Creative Producer who has directed, produced and toured work to several hundred theatres, opera houses and festivals across the UK and abroad, with his productions winning Olivier, The Stage and UK Theatre Awards. He recently founded Living Productions which produces theatre, film, concerts and festivals. James was Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Theatres from 2013-2023 and previously held roles as Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and the National Youth Theatre. He is Chair of the Board of Theatre503, a Board Director of Spirit of 2012, a Trustee for Talawa Theatre Company and a Franco-British Young Leader. James Dacre became a Trustee of The Theatres Trust on 21 February 2022.
Stephanie Hall
Appointed from 21 February 2025 to 20 February 2028
Stephanie Hall is a barrister specialising in town and country planning at Kings Chambers. She lives with her family near Leeds but works across England and Wales. Stephanie represents both local authorities and developers at planning appeals and in the Courts. She has particular experience of large schemes and major infrastructure projects, sometimes involving theatres and very often involving works to or in the setting of listed buildings. Stephanie appears in the list of top-rated planning junior barristers, is a member of the Planning and Environment Bar Association, the Compulsory Purchase Association, the Parliamentary Bar Mess and the National Infrastructure Planning Association. Stephanie Hall became a Trustee on 21 February 2022.
Remuneration and Governance Code
The Chair and Trustees of the Theatres Trust are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dave Moutrey, James Dacre and Stephanie Hall have not declared any significant political activity.
