Worthing Theatres & Museum appoints a new Chief Executive

Released: Thursday, 15 October 2026

Worthing Theatres & Museum (WTM) has appointed Louise Blackwell as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective from January 2027, full-time from April 2027. Since February, Jill Stewart has led WTM as Interim CEO, stepping up from her role as Executive Director, alongside Tanya Peters as Executive Director Culture and Place.

Louise joins WTM with more than 25 years' experience producing and leading arts organisations.

West Sussex born and bred, she most recently founded Creative Crawley, an arts charity that brings together key stakeholders across the town to produce festivals, performances and public art in unusual spaces. During her time in Crawley, she has raised over £2.5 million for arts and culture, creating new cultural spaces and training opportunities for young people, and attracting artists and partners such as Luke Jerram, HemingwayDesign, Global Streets and The Place, London. In this role, she co-directs Crawley's Creative Playground, the town's Arts Council England-funded Creative People and Places programme, placing residents at the heart of decision-making about arts and culture in their town. She established the West Sussex Creatives Network, has led projects creating routes for young people into the creative industries through her work with LOOKOUT Brighton and is an Arts Council South East Area Council member.

In 2004 she co-founded the producing company Fuel, growing it from a two-person start-up at Battersea Arts Centre into a national producing charity with long-term support from Arts Council England, Wellcome Trust and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Over 12 years as Co-Director, she created and toured new work with artists including Clod Ensemble, Melanie Wilson and Fevered Sleep; working in venues such as Lyric Hammersmith, Sadler's Wells, The National Theatre, Tate Britain, Science Museum, The Lowry, Salford and many more around the UK and beyond. She instigated the New Theatre in Your Neighbourhood project, championing contemporary theatre in towns across England and establishing the successful Local Engagement Specialist model. Before Fuel, she was Senior Producer at Battersea Arts Centre.

As CEO, Louise will lead WTM's four venues: the Connaught Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, Assembly Hall and Worthing Museum & Art Gallery

Louise Blackwell, incoming Chief Executive, Worthing Theatres & Museum, said:

“I am incredibly excited about leading Worthing Theatres & Museum into its next phase, building on the great foundations and looking forward to creating a robust, relevant and resilient organisation that champions and supports the cultural ecology in Worthing, Sussex and beyond. I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees, staff, artists, supporters and residents of Worthing to reach our potential. This extraordinary estate belongs to everyone in the town, and together we can make something remarkable happen for Worthing.”

James Turnbull, Chair, Worthing Theatres & Museum, said:

“I'm so delighted that Louise is joining Worthing Theatres & Museum. The board of trustees set out to find a leader who could secure the charity's future and help us grow our contribution to life in Worthing, across Sussex and beyond. Louise brings the creative ambition and practical experience to do both.

“Our theatres and museum are Worthing's crown jewels, and our strategy is to grow our reach and impact. Louise sees that potential and understands that a strong, financially sustainable organisation gives us the freedom to be ambitious. I'm looking forward to working with her and our team to bring more people through our doors and create more opportunities for people to enjoy and take part in culture.”

Councillor Dom Ford, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Leisure, said:

“We have a fantastic partnership with WTM, which spans four of the town's most significant cultural venues - Connaught Theatre & Studio, Worthing Museum & Gallery, Assembly Hall and Pavilion Theatre.

“WTM is a critical part of a growing cultural community in Worthing, and we recently agreed a new five-year partnership that will give the organisation the financial stability it needs to deliver an ambitious programme of events and plan confidently for the future.

“I'm delighted to welcome Louise to Worthing and wish her every success in her new role. I look forward to working closely with her and WTM as we support the town's ever-growing creative and cultural scene.”

Photo: Louise Blackwell the new Chief Executive of Worthing Theatres & Museum (credit @iangreenlandphoto)

Louise Blackwell, Chief Executive of Worthing Theatres & Museum (credit @iangreenlandphoto)