LEWES.- Charleston announced that Pippa Harris has been appointed as its new Chair of Trustees.

Pippa Harris is an Oscar nominated, Bafta award-winning, film and television producer, who established Neal Street Productions in 2003 alongside Sam Mendes and Caro Newling. The company’s recent work includes the hugely successful The Lehman Trilogy for the National Theatre, as well as the multi-award winning First World War movie, 1917, which Pippa produced. She also produced Starter for Ten, executive produced Things We Lost in the Fire, Away We Go and the Oscar-nominated Revolutionary Road, as well as the feature documentary, We Are Many.

For the last ten years, Pippa has also been the Executive Producer of the hugely successful BBC series Call the Midwife. Previously, she was the Head of Drama Commissioning for the BBC.

Pippa has recently finished her 4-year tenure as BAFTA Chair / Deputy Chair. She is an Ambassador for Women for Women International and a Patron of the neonatal charity Best Beginnings. In 2015 she was made a Dame in the Dissolution Honours.

Pippa has served on the Charleston Board since 2015. She takes over as Chair from Michael Farthing whose tenure saw the completion of a major capital project to open new exhibition, event, and café spaces in 2018, and the leadership of the charity during the Covid pandemic.

Speaking of her appointment, Pippa said: “Charleston has always been a place which celebrates creativity, debate, diversity, and reflection – values that are more important now than ever before. Under the dynamic leadership of Nathaniel Hepburn, and thanks to his hugely talented team, Charleston has been able to withstand its forced closure due to Covid, and to re-open with renewed vigour. As the new Chair of Charleston, I’m delighted and honoured to play a part in supporting their work and shaping the future of this unique and beloved place.”

Charleston Director and Chief Executive Nathaniel Hepburn said: “I am delighted that the Board of Trustees has appointed Pippa Harris as our next Chair of Trustees. Charleston is at an exciting point in its development; after a challenging year the charity is connecting with new and growing audiences, and delivering bold and important exhibitions, events, and festivals. Pippa's commitment to diversity, knowledge of the creative industries and passion for Bloomsbury's history and relevance to contemporary society will all support and guide Charleston as it grows and develops.”

Pippa Harris’s term as Chair will last until 2024, when she will be eligible to serve a further term of three years through mutual agreement.