We’re building a member-led network for Calderdale’s creative and cultural sector – and soon we will be looking for people who want to help shape what happens next.
As CalderdaleCreates becomes its own legal entity, as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, we’re looking for members to join our first board of directors.
Stand for election to the Board of Directors
We are looking for committed members from across Calderdale’s creative and cultural sector to become directors of CalderdaleCreates as it becomes a formal, non-profit organisation in the form of a company limited by guarantee.
We’re keen to hear from a broad mix of people, including freelancers, and those working in community organisations, creative businesses, young people (18–25), and those within cultural organisations. You don’t need previous board member or governance experience – what matters most is that you care about the sector and can contribute thoughtfully and responsibly.
The board of directors is collectively legally responsible for governance, compliance, financial oversight and risk management in accordance with the law governing companies. The role of director is voluntary and is about providing oversight and direction, not running the day-to-day activity of CalderdaleCreates.
What’s involved
- Board meetings which will be held at least every three months (and in the first year of the company will be held a little more often).
- Shared responsibility for good governance and decision-making
- Helping ensure CalderdaleCreates is stable, inclusive and led by the sector
- Some directors will also be part of a working committee, alongside non-director volunteers from the network, so attending these meetings and reporting back to the main board will be an additional responsibility for some directors.
Who can stand
- CalderdaleCreates members aged 18+
- People eligible to act as a company director (not bankrupt, or disqualified)
- People able to commit time to attend meetings, read documents and contribute, and take on fiduciary responsibility.
Priorities for board of directors:
- Stability in Year 1 with clear transition to elected governance
- Staggered elections in future years to avoid full board turnover
- Representation-led approach
- Proportionate process suitable for a sector-led network
I want to be a CalderdaleCreates director – what now?
Get ready to nominate yourself & complete a brief application form including your statement of intent. Applications will open in summer 2026, and if you’re on the CalderdaleCreates mailing list you’ll be sent notification of applications opening.
I want to vote – what now?
Make sure you’ve signed up on the CalderdaleCreates directory. You don’t need to upload a full profile. Voting will take place over a week in summer.
Board nominations – summer 2026 – timeline
- Applications close two weeks later.
- Statements of the nominees are circulated to the membership within one week.
- Voting online (anonymously) opens to the membership the following week, for one week.
- Voting closes, results are counted and agreed, and circulated – within a day or two
- New Directors are announced
- Directors are formally appointed within a fortnight.
Need more information about being a director?
We ran two lunchtime learning sessions in February that are relevant to our board member elections: Good Governance (and what being a board member is all about) and About Advocacy (and speaking up for our sector).
These 90 minute free online sessions will help you decide if board membership is something that would be right for you. Recordings of these two events are here and here.
Register your interest in standing for election as a director
If you’re interested in getting involved, or would like to find out more before deciding, please email:
creativity@calderdale.gov.uk
We aim to reflect the diversity of Calderdale’s creative and cultural sector and may use this information to help ensure balanced representation.
Further information
Board Composition in year 1:
- Our incorporation documents will allow up to 15 directors total to be elected in total and we’ll have further elections by 2028 for additional directors, also to serve a four year term.
- Four current Steering Group members are to be retained as new directors for continuity of knowledge.
- We will elect more directors from CalderdaleCreates membership in 2026.
- We may look to co-opt HR / Legal / Finance specialists as required.
