We are looking for new trustees!

We are looking for new trustees to join our Board. Click here for a PDF of the below position description and application details. 

The Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts Ltd (“the Conservatoire”) is an arts charity operating from its historic site in Blackheath, South East London. We offer high quality and innovative individual and group lessons in music and art for all ages and abilities. Our values include excellence, creativity, sustainability, and inclusivity. We aim to provide a vibrant and welcoming space to inspire and nurture our diverse community of life-long learners. Our charitable activities include providing bursaries to children in the community who need them, and free classes for refugees and asylum seekers, along with a range of other charitable arts programmes. We attract approximately 2,000 student interactions a week, with classes and tuition delivered by our network of 130 freelance tutors, and we are open 7 days a week.

We are at an exciting point on our journey, embarking on a redevelopment of our artistic programme, and reaping the benefits of a new IT system. As we chart our future, including deepening our committment to access, we are seeking to bolster our board with dynamic and connected individuals, committed to our mission in South East London.

Commitment

• 15-20 days per year
• The Board of the Conservatoire meets 3 times a year, normally in the evenings, with an additional strategy day and AGM.
• Trustees are expected to contribute a day per month outside of these meetings for example, by supporting projects and attending some events at the Conservatoire. Duties and Responsibilities
• The general duties and responsibilities of trustees are set out in https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-toknow-cc3

Your responsibilities and duties will include:

• Attending regular meetings of the Board and Board committees and other related duties as outlined above.
• Contributing actively to the Board of trustees’ collective role in setting the charity’s strategic direction in line with its charitable objectives and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• Ensuring the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, company law, safeguarding obligations and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensuring the management and the administration of the charity is undertaken responsibly
• Ensuring the organisation uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
• Acting in the best interest of the charity while exercising independent judgment.
• Protecting the assets (investment, cash, intellectual property, staff and reputation) of the charity and ensuring the charity’s financial stability.
• Acting as an ambassador for the charity and using networks to promote the charity’s work and where appropriate, to seek funding.
• Providing support and effective oversight to the executive function.
• Attending and engaging in training and events as required.

Person Specification

• The Conservatoire is looking for candidates who are passionate about our mission and the local community, and who bring the skills, experience, and commitment necessary to take the organisation forward. The ideal candidates will ideally have:
• Previous trustee or charity management experience
• A collaborative and collegiate approach to working with trustees/staff/stakeholders
• Good leadership skills
• Resident in or with strong ties to Blackheath/Greenwich/Lewisham London
• A strong interest in arts education or charity work

For this round of recruitment, the Conservatoire is particularly interested in finding a Chair of trustees and up to 2 additional trustees with experience in any of the following areas:

• An arts professional to be the Board lead on the quality and development of the artistic programme.
• An architect/building industry professional to be the Board lead on the management and development of our listed historical building.
• A fundraising professional to be the Board lead on fundraising campaigns.
• An accountancy professional to support the Board on financial decision-making, ideally with experience of the charity sector.
• An education professional to support the Board in ensuring best practices in safeguarding and teaching strategies.

What can you expect?

• Participation in a creative, stimulating and evolving charity.
• An opportunity to make a real difference to a local community by being part of the future direction and strategy of this charity.

Additional information

• This is an unpaid and honorary role. Reasonable and necessary expenses will be reimbursed
• Term – 4 years – with the possibility of extending for a further term.
• The organisation has a strong commitment to safeguarding and enhanced DBS checks are carried out on all trustees.
• As an equal opportunities employer we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. We are committed to becoming more representative of our local community so we particularly welcome applications from black and ethnic minority groups.
• The deadline is Friday 17 October, 2025. Interviews will take place on a date agreed in the last two weeks of October.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please send a cover letter and CV by close of business by Friday 17 October, 2025, to board@conservatoire.org.uk

Please also complete our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring form here. 

This form will be treated anonymously.