Our Patrons David Lascelles David Lascelles is a BAFTA winning producer of drama for television and the cinema, including Inspector Morse, Moll Flanders, and Shakespeare’s Richard III. In 2007 he was Executive Producer of Geraldine Connor’s legendary theatre show Carnival Messiah which ran for two weeks in a big top in the grounds of Harewood House, as part of the celebration of the bi-centenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. He was one of the founders of GCF and is a regular contributor to our creative projects. On the death of his father in July 2011, he became the 8th Earl of Harewood. Arthur France Arthur France was born in Nevis in 1935. He arrived in Leeds in 1957 to join his sister, Elaine, who had emigrated some years earlier. He has been very active in Leeds community and political life and one of his most lasting achievements has been founding the Leeds West Indian Carnival in 1967. Arthur has received numerous awards in recognition of his valuable contribution to the local community. In 1985 he received the Hansib Award for his work within the black communities in Leeds. In 1995 he received the Voice Newspaper Community Honour and the CRE Race in the Media Award. On 14 June 1997 he was awarded the MBE. Sharon Watson Sharon Watson MBE, DL is currently CEO and Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Prior to this, Sharon Watson was the 7th and longest-standing Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre, choreographing Fast Lane, Melt, Never 2 Still, Repetition of Change, TearFall and Windrush: Movement of the People. In November 2020, Sharon was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and in January 2021 she was awarded an MBE for Services to Dance. Sharon is a trustee of Leeds Playhouse and Leeds 2023. She is committed to improving diversity within the arts by supporting the creative voices of women and Black, Asian and ethnic minority artists. Pamela Johnson Pam has worked for Arts Council England since 2003, initially as their North-West Dance Officer, and then as a Relationship Manager. She is currently a Senior Relationship Manager in the London office. Her role includes overseeing the London Combined Arts and Dance portfolios and the co-ordination of Arts Council England’s Strategic Partnerships including relationships with London local government. Pam trained in dance at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD). Previously she has worked as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and community education manager for various renowned organisations such as DV8, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Kokuma Dance Theatre, NSCD and more. Terence Suthers Terence Suthers contributed over 40 years of his career to the museum and heritage sector and was the CEO of Harewood House from 1992 to his retirement in 2006. Terry became a close friend of Geraldine leading up to and during the production of Carnival Messiahat Harewood in 2007, when he helped raise the substantial external funding necessary to stage it. A Fellow of the Museums Association and the Royal Society of Arts, Terry was also made a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire and was awarded the MBE for services to museums and the heritage in Yorkshire. He helped set up the Geraldine Connor Foundation.