A Message from Prism Director, Catherine Coulthard:
After some years of thinking about it, I’m excited and humbled to share that I will be taking a sabbatical in 2025. This break, running from March 6th to August 31st, will give me the chance to recharge and return in September with renewed energy to lay the groundwork for Prism’s next exciting decade, including preparations for our 40th anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Equally important, this window of time will enable the charity to take forward our emerging co-created Business Plan, allowing time and space for our excellent team to shape the future of our work alongside our artists.
During my sabbatical, Alison Barker will be leading the way, supported by Creative Directors, Col Conroy and Martin Swan. Alison brings extensive leadership experience across the cultural, PR, and education sectors. Over the next two months, I’ll be working closely with her to ensure a smooth handover.
Our Board and senior management team have been involved in the planning process for over 18 months, ensuring a thoughtful and collaborative approach.
This opportunity has arisen as an outcome of a piece of work commissioned from Hunter HR, exploring staff retention, progression, and well-being. By sharing this news, we hope to inspire further conversations around talent retention and sustainability in the nonprofit sector.
If you have any questions about ongoing partnerships, collaborations, or our approach, please feel free to reach out to me via email. You can also find an FAQ section below which might answer some of your queries.
I’m excited to see the amazing progress Prism will make during this time and look forward to reconnecting with all of you when I return.
Yours, Catherine

Catherine Coulthard, Director of Prism

Alison Barker will join Prism as Acting Director starting March 2025
FAQs
Will anything change?
No, everything will continue as usual. We have a clear handover plan in place to ensure a smooth transition.
Who should I contact instead of Catherine?
Catherine will be available until March 6th. For any queries related to Catherine’s role after this time, please contact Alison Barker at alison@prismarts.org.uk
When can I meet Alison?
Alison will start work at Prism in February, as part of a managed handover process. She will take the role on from March 10th. We will schedule introduction meetings with key stakeholders and partners.
Where will Alison be based?
Alison is based in Manchester and will be working remotely much of the time. Any meetings can be arranged accordingly.
How will you manage the NPO process? We want to discuss partnership and collaboration before the funding deadline in July.
Alison will work alongside Col Conroy and Martin Swan. Our Fundraising Manager, Lisa Johnston, will coordinate and produce the application.
I want to talk about being a trustee. Who should I speak to?
Start by visiting this link to our Trustee Information Page and then contact our office to begin the application process.
Who will attend networks and partnership meetings?
We’ll divide this responsibility across the team, with Col and Martin handling ongoing partnership and network meetings.
Who will be discussing the key projects you’ve been working on?
We’ll be reaching out to partners to confirm lead contacts and will provide updates separately. This process is ongoing.