Felicity Harvest

Felicity Harvest did a drama degree, subsequently working as a costume designer, including a period as milliner to the Royal Shakespeare Company. She then moved into arts administration, working at the Round House, a Community Arts Company and the Rio Cinema in Hackney before becoming a freelance consultant, with her own company, Systematics. Systematics carried out cultural audits for local authorities, and ran training courses, particularly in the area of arts and disability.

In 1990, she began almost 20 years of working for the Arts Council, first in the West Midlands, and subsequently in the South East where she was Regional Executive Director. In this role, she has been heavily involved across the South East for many years in the development of major capital projects, the support of key arts organisations, the distribution of arts lottery funds and the development of individual artists. As part of the Arts Council's national Executive Board, she has undertaken a number of national projects, including being the Arts Council's national lead on relations with Higher Education, on International relations, and on major changes to the grants system.