Nick Dodd appointed as interim head of Derby Museums Trust
Appointment follows resignation of Stuart Gillis
Nick Dodd has been appointed as interim executive director at Derby Museums Trust after the surprise resignation of Stuart Gillis last month.
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, the Silk Mill and Pickford’s House Museum transferred to Derby Museum Trust in October under the terms of a 30-year lease that sees ownership of museum buildings and collections remain with Derby City Council.
Dodd was previously chief executive of Museums Sheffield, but took voluntary redundancy last June following the loss of £800,000 Renaissance funding and a 15% cut in funding from Sheffield Council.
Peter Smith, chairman of Derby Museums Trust’s board of trustees, said the appointment would help take the service to the next stage and deliver its forward plan, which includes reopening the ground floor of the Silk Mill in October.
Dodd said: “I am very pleased to be joining Derby Museums as interim director, as I have been impressed by the progress it has made as a charity and all the hard work that's been done behind the scenes by the staff and trustees.
"I look forward to leading the museums, improving the experience for visitors and developing the imaginative plans for the Joseph Wright collection and the Silk Mill.”
Gillis, who was instrumental in setting up Derby Museums Trust during his three-and-a-half years with Derby Museums, resigned as executive director just four months after the trust took over.
One of the trust’s aims is to raise awareness of the city’s engineering heritage and Derby-born artist Joseph Wright. Funding for the trust is fixed for the first two and a half years, and future years will be agreed at least two years in advance.
The anticipated fiscal benefits of trust status include greater tax and VAT reliefs, and new opportunities for corporate donations and sponsorship as well as lottery and other charitable funding.
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, the Silk Mill and Pickford’s House Museum transferred to Derby Museum Trust in October under the terms of a 30-year lease that sees ownership of museum buildings and collections remain with Derby City Council.
Dodd was previously chief executive of Museums Sheffield, but took voluntary redundancy last June following the loss of £800,000 Renaissance funding and a 15% cut in funding from Sheffield Council.
Peter Smith, chairman of Derby Museums Trust’s board of trustees, said the appointment would help take the service to the next stage and deliver its forward plan, which includes reopening the ground floor of the Silk Mill in October.
Dodd said: “I am very pleased to be joining Derby Museums as interim director, as I have been impressed by the progress it has made as a charity and all the hard work that's been done behind the scenes by the staff and trustees.
"I look forward to leading the museums, improving the experience for visitors and developing the imaginative plans for the Joseph Wright collection and the Silk Mill.”
Gillis, who was instrumental in setting up Derby Museums Trust during his three-and-a-half years with Derby Museums, resigned as executive director just four months after the trust took over.
One of the trust’s aims is to raise awareness of the city’s engineering heritage and Derby-born artist Joseph Wright. Funding for the trust is fixed for the first two and a half years, and future years will be agreed at least two years in advance.
The anticipated fiscal benefits of trust status include greater tax and VAT reliefs, and new opportunities for corporate donations and sponsorship as well as lottery and other charitable funding.