Our Team
The Artists Benevolent Fund is a registered charity and is governed by a Board of Trustees. The organisation is managed by a Director, Secretary and a small team of Programme c0-delivery partners who all work remotely. We are currently seeking new trustees to join ABF’s Board. Find out more.
Trustees
Lisa Gee
Chair
Lisa has over 30 years’ experience of working in the visual arts and is the Director of The Harley Foundation and Gallery, Nottinghamshire. The Harley’s mission is to develop spaces where creativity can flourish. It funds and manages two award-winning galleries and 22 subsidised studios for artists and makers. Lisa is a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths Company. She was the Chair of The Mighty Creatives from 2009 - 2015, a bridge organisation funded by Arts Council England to help young people access art and culture.
Barney Hare Duke
Trustee
Barney was the Artistic Director of the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) in Stoke-on-Trent, a position he held from inception in 2009. He stepped down from this position at the end of 2020.
Starting his career as a potter, Barney has accumulated over 40 years’ experience in the arts working as an artist, project manager, arts development officer, curator and consultant.
Matthew Collins
Trustee
Matthew is an artist based in London, working with textiles, print and text. He has participated in projects at Backlit Gallery, Nottingham; The Royal Standard, Liverpool; Kunstpodium-T, Tilburg and Spanish City, Whitley Bay. He has also contributed to publications including A Queer Anthology of Rage (Pilot Press, 2018).
Duncan Hooson
Trustee
Duncan is an Artist, Educator and Author. He has over 30 years’ experience in delivering a wide range of artist-in-residence projects. He is Reader in Socially Engaged Ceramics and Stage 1 leader on the BA Ceramic Design course at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.
He is founder and co-director of Clayground Collective, a socially engaged practice. Over 18 years, Clayground has created projects for more than 150,000 people across the UK. Duncan has co-authored several acclaimed publications in the ceramic design field.
Marlene Johnson
Trustee
Marlene spent a large part of her career in the publishing industry, most recently as Managing Director of Hachette Children’s Books, working with the cream of British illustrators and authors. Prior to that, she held senior roles in Design Consultancy and Advertising. She now operates as a board member and consultant in the creative and educational sectors.