Trustee – Business Development & Commercial Strategy

Website Lakeland Arts

Job title: Trustee – Business Development & Commercial Strategy

Location: Bowness-on-Windermere and Kendal (Cumbria)

Salary: Voluntary trusteeship (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

Closing Date: 27th March 2026

Description

Lakeland Arts is one of the region’s most significant cultural charities, caring for an extraordinary portfolio of museums, galleries and heritage sites across the Lake District National Park. From the award‑winning Windermere Jetty Museum to the internationally recognised Abbot Hall Art Gallery, our venues welcome thousands of visitors each year and play a vital role in preserving heritage, inspiring creativity and strengthening communities.

We are now seeking two new Trustees to join our Board at an important moment of renewal and ambition. Lakeland Arts is undertaking a transformative programme designed to secure long‑term sustainability, broaden access and reimagine how our collections and historic places connect with audiences. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future direction of a distinctive, place‑based cultural organisation with national reach and deep community roots.

The Role

As a Trustee, you will help guide the strategic development of Lakeland Arts, ensuring strong governance, financial sustainability and thoughtful stewardship of our buildings, collections and visitor experience. Working collaboratively with the Chair, your fellow Trustees and the Leadership Team, you will contribute to decisions that support organisational resilience, inclusive programming, and the delivery of public benefit across all sites.

Business Development and Commercial Strategy Trustee

You will help us build a sustainable business model that complements our charitable purpose. Bringing commercial awareness from visitor attractions, tourism, leisure or related sectors, you will support long‑term planning, income diversification, partnership development and the strategic oversight of capital and asset opportunities across our sites.

About You

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including first‑time Trustees. You will share our values and bring sound judgement, integrity and a collaborative mindset. We are particularly interested in people who offer:

• Understanding of commercial strategy, revenue generation or visitor‑led business models.
• Awareness of tourism and audience trends relevant to Cumbria and the UK heritage sector.
• Ability to assess commercial viability, financial information and long‑term positioning.
• Insight into capital or site‑based development and partnership building.

For an informal and confidential conversation, please contact:
Rebekah Herz Bauman – rebekah.herzbauman@gatenbysanderson.com
Stephanie Crossland – stephanie.crossland@gatenbysanderson.com

Lakeland Arts is committed to diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from individuals under‑represented in the heritage and cultural sectors, including neurodiverse candidates, applicants from the Global Majority and those with disabilities.

To view the job description, person specification and to apply, please click  here