Arts Council England has today announced the appointment of Pawlet Brookes MBE as the new Chair of its Midlands Area Council.  Pawlet takes up the role for a four-year term (1 October 2025 – 30 September 2029), succeeding Sukhy Johal MBE, whose second term came to an end in September 2025.

Pawlet has been a long-standing member of the Midlands Area Council and brings extensive experience as a cultural leader, advocate and innovator.  She is the Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, a Leicester-based organisation committed to championing Black arts, heritage and cultural equity in the UK and internationally.  Under her leadership, Serendipity has become an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and a national leader in archiving, producing, and programming work that makes the invisible visible.

As a curator and producer, Pawlet established Let’s Dance International Frontiers, an annual festival that brings global dance practitioners to Leicester, and spearheaded The Living Archive, a major initiative preserving Black British arts and heritage for future generations.  She is also a regular speaker on equity and representation in the arts, contributing her expertise to national and international discussions on cultural policy and practice.

In recognition of her contribution, Pawlet was awarded an MBE for Services to the Arts and Cultural Diversity in 2022.  She was later honoured with an Honorary Fellowship from Northern School of Contemporary Dance (2023), an Honorary Doctor of Arts from De Montfort University (2025), and an Honorary Fellow from Falmouth University (2025).

Commenting on her appointment, Pawlet Brookes MBE said:

“I am honoured to take on the role of Chair for Arts Council England’s Midlands Area Council. I look forward to working alongside colleagues, partners and communities to champion creativity across the region, ensuring that artists, organisations and audiences have the opportunity to thrive and that the Midlands continues to be a place where culture is celebrated, supported and made accessible for all.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

“Pawlet brings a wealth of expertise to this role with a proven commitment to cultural equity, artistic excellence, creative innovation and community engagement. I look forward to working closely with her to support artists, organisations and audiences across the Midlands.”