New HEY Creative Chief Brings City of Culture Experience to Hull and East Yorkshire

HEY Creative has announced the appointment of Lisa Mallaghan as its new Chief Officer, bringing a wealth of experience from her role in the UK’s latest City of Culture. With over 20 years in the arts sector, Lisa has led significant arts programmes and developed successful initiatives on both national and international stages.

In her new position, Lisa will guide HEY Creative into its next development phase, focusing on enhancing cross-sector partnerships to promote arts, culture, and heritage in Hull and East Yorkshire. HEY Creative serves as the Cultural Compact for the region, established by Arts Council England and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to bolster the local arts and cultural sectors.

Lisa takes over from Max May, who has successfully led the organisation through its foundational period, during which it published the innovative Creative Charter and garnered support from over 120 organisations.

Previously, Lisa served as the Executive Director of Bradford Producing Hub for six years, where she played a pivotal role in establishing the organisation as a Capacity Development Strategic Partner for Bradford’s 2025 UK City of Culture initiative. She also co-designed The Bradford Way, a £1 million arts initiative aimed at fostering cultural entrepreneurs and businesses during the city’s cultural year.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Lisa stated: “As an arts and culture leader, I’m passionate about seeing the growth of the creative industries, in the North in particular. What excites me about HEY Creative is the cross-sector approach, bringing together arts, business, universities, health and education to support arts and culture to grow, and develop a place, an economy and a community.”

She highlighted the importance of transforming cross-sector collaboration into tangible actions that benefit the cultural sector and the organisations involved. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to work together to maximise every opportunity for arts and culture across Hull and East Yorkshire,” she added.

As Lisa shifts her focus to Hull and East Yorkshire, she will be building on the region’s vibrant cultural scene, especially as it approaches the 10-year anniversary of Hull’s designation as UK City of Culture in 2017.

Dominic Gibbons, Chair of HEY Creative, remarked on Lisa’s appointment, saying: “In appointing Lisa as our new Chief Officer, we have at our helm a leader who has made a significant contribution to Bradford and Yorkshire’s cultural sector over the past decade. Lisa shares our vision, and ambition, for the vital role HEY Creative must play in the region’s cultural life, forging and strengthening cross-sector partnerships and helping to shape a diverse, sustainable future for arts organisations.”

Max, who is transitioning to become Chief Executive of the national arts charity Creative Lives, expressed pride in his achievements at HEY Creative. He stated: “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in my time at HEY Creative, and to have played a part in championing Hull and East Yorkshire’s remarkable arts, culture and heritage. In Lisa, HEY Creative has a fantastic new Chief Officer to lead the organisation into a bright future.”