4 August 2014

As you may be aware the organisation recently advertised for a new General Manager. Through this process we came across Seamus McGibbon, who has worked as a Business Development Manager for the last eight years, six of them at the professional membership organisation the Theatrical Management Association - now known as UK Theatre. UK Theatre represent managers and organisations working in theatre and the performing arts, and is the sister organisation to the Society of London Theatres whose members are producers and theatre owners in London’s West End.

Seamus helped the TMA/UK Theatre build a programme of activity to enhance its membership, as well as engaging non-members in TMA activities. This included increasing the number of courses, conferences and events they held, and working with other bodies including the Arts Councils of the UK and CCSkills, the sector skills council for the theatre and music industry.  Due to Seamus' experience of membership organisations and the arts sector, we have asked him to work with us over the next month to take a fresh look at the AOP and what we do, and to help us develop plans to increase our membership and reach, to ensure we continue to represent those working in the photographic industry into the future.

Seamus is very keen to hear from you and to get your thoughts on what we currently do: what you think we do well; what we could do better; what makes us unique; how we can be stronger; new activities you think we should do; and what you think would attract new members to the Association.  If you want to drop him a line his email is seamus@aophoto.co.uk or you can call him on 020 3327 7209. He will be very pleased to hear from you.