The north east’s specialist provider of creative courses, The Northern School of Art, has announced a new line-up for its board of governors.

The School’s new chair of governors is Patrick Smith, pictured above and right, currently the north east managing director of specialist recruitment firm Broster Buchanan Ltd. With director level experience at a number of well-known recruitment companies, Patrick is a qualified accountant with a background in audit and accountancy. Patrick’s’ appointment follows the departure of the previous chair Graham Robson who stepped down at the end of his term in April.

Architect Tim Bailey, pictured left, has been appointed vice chair. A well-known figure across the design sector in the north, Tim is a partner in xsite Architecture.  Since qualifying in 1992, he has been involved with a diverse range of realised projects with construction values up to £20m.  Notable projects include Boho One and Five in Middlesbrough and The Toffee Factory and the North East Futures University Technical College, both in Newcastle upon Tyne.  Tim has been on the boards of many cultural organisations including Northern Stage and Unfolding Theatre.

Robin Simmons, Professor of Education at the University of Huddersfield, pictured right, has also been appointed as vice chair. Robin has taught and conducted research at Huddersfield since 2004. His research interests lie in education policy, the sociology of education and the relationship between education and employment; he has an international reputation for research on the lives of marginalized young people, especially in relation to their participation in post-compulsory education and training.

Departing chair, Graham Robson, pictured below, said: “It’s been a real privilege to have served as chair of The Northern School of Art. It was great to work with the board and the leadership team to deliver the progress the School has made over the past few years. On a personal level, it has been fantastic to have worked with some of our wonderful, talented students.

“It was an eventful period during which we developed of our new building at the Hartlepool campus and established a new name which signals the School’s ambitions for the future.

“I am confident that The School has a terrific board and management team who will take the School from strength to strength. Hearty thanks to you all for your work and friendship.”

The School’s new chair Patrick Smith said: “Having served the School since 2005 I am proud to assume the role of chair, succeeding Dr Graham Robson, who made an outstanding contribution.

“The School has some very exciting opportunities to embrace, and I look forward to building on our past successes with a strong board and first class management team to ensure these are fully capitalised on.”

The Northern School of Art is the only specialist provider of creative courses in the North East with a rating of Gold in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework which means its students receive some of the highest quality teaching in the UK.

Details of all the creative courses offered by The Northern School of Art at its further education site in Middlesbrough and its university-level campus in Hartlepool are available at www.northernart.ac.uk