Felicity Harvest

Felicity Harvest was until 2010 the Executive Director of the Arts Council in the South East.

She started her career in the arts with a drama degree, subsequently working as a costume designer, 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 was heavily involved 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 undertook 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.

She is now a Council member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and works as a Humanist Celebrant.