New Trustees Appointed at National Youth Arts Wales
Left to right: Karen Pimbley, Matthew Smith, Christina Timms, Sanea Singh, and Geraint Pugh.
National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) is delighted to announce the appointment of four new trustees to its National Board, following a public recruitment process earlier this year. They are Sanea Singh, Christina Timms, Geraint Pugh and Matthew Smith.
Chair of Trustees, Karen Pimbley, commented:
“We are thrilled to welcome Sanea, Christina, Geraint and Matthew to our Board. This year marks two major milestones for National Youth Arts Wales — the 80th anniversary of our groundbreaking National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the 50th anniversary of the National Youth Theatre of Wales. We are already reaching more young people than ever before, across the whole of Wales and from every kind of background. With the expertise and fresh perspectives of our new trustees, we are determined to go further still — so that every young person in Wales has the opportunity to experience the life-changing power of the arts. Welcoming four outstanding new trustees to our Board at such a pivotal moment for the arts in Wales reflects our confidence and optimism for the future of National Youth Arts Wales.”
Sanea Singh is a dancer, choreographer, facilitator and advocate with a strong commitment to youth arts and inclusion.
A First Class BA (Hons) Dance graduate from LIPA, she trained with Studio Wayne McGregor and Jasmin Vardimon Company (JV2). She has performed extensively as a company dancer with Ballet Cymru (2020–2025), appearing in over 300 performances across the UK, and has worked as Associate Artist with National Youth Dance Wales (2023–present) and as Movement Artist with National Youth Theatre Wales (2024). Through her facilitation, choreography and mentoring, she champions equitable access, representation and wellbeing for young people from diverse backgrounds.
“I’m honoured to have been appointed as a Trustee of National Youth Arts Wales. I’m keen to support the organisation’s commitment to championing young people, widening access to the arts, and ensuring more diverse voices are represented within creative spaces and leadership.”
Christina Timms is an experienced arts professional with over 25 years’ expertise in the cultural sector, specialising in music education, youth and community music, classical music, fundraising and organisational development.
She has held roles with major funders including Arts Council England (as Relationship Manager for Music, 2012–2023) and Youth Music (Regional Executive Officer, 2005–2012), where she supported programmes that widen access to high-quality creative opportunities for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Christina brings valuable governance experience from board observer and funder liaison roles with organisations such as Welsh National Opera, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Ex Cathedra, alongside strong skills in advocacy, partnership building and strategic development. Having recently moved to Cardiff, she is committed to supporting the arts in Wales.
"I'm delighted to be joining the board of NYAW to support a growing & thriving organisation, and to help promote a wide range of high quality arts opportunities for young people across Wales. I'm looking forward to sharing my experience from my work in England, and to contribute to the dynamic cultural scene in my new city and country, Wales."
Geraint Pugh is an experienced professional in the field of governance and a fluent Welsh speaker who lives in Aberystwyth, with a strong commitment to youth arts and public service. A former member of the National Youth Choir of Wales (2000–03), he brings deep personal insight into the transformative impact of high-quality creative opportunities on the lives of young people. He currently works as Board Secretary of S4C (since 2021), where he provides strategic advice on governance, along with experience in risk management and regulatory matters. He represents the organisation in its dealings with the UK Government, the BBC, and Ofcom. Previously, he served as Secretary of Aberystwyth University, and he also brings valuable experience as a trustee with the HAHAV charity and as a former External Trustee of Bangor University Students’ Union.
“NYAW does vital work in opening doors for young people from all backgrounds through the arts — work that I experienced directly as a former member of the National Youth Choir of Wales. I am delighted to be able to contribute my experience in strategic governance and public oversight to support the Board in delivering the organisation’s mission.
Matthew Smith is a Partner at Blake Morgan LLP and Head of the firm’s national Education sector practice, with deep expertise in employment law and experience in governance and charity regulation. He advises boards and senior leaders across universities, further education colleges and charities on complex HR, employment, regulatory and succession issues. A Cambridge law graduate, Matthew brings valuable strategic, risk management and legal oversight experience to support NYAW’s governance and sustainability. Personally passionate about the arts and theatre, he has seen first-hand the positive impact of youth arts participation through his children's involvement in the arts.
“I strongly believe in the enormous value of NYAW’s work in supporting excellence in music, dance and drama and in ensuring opportunities for talented young artists across Wales. I am delighted to become a trustee at an exciting time with some groundbreaking initiatives under way, such as the Creative Passport which has the potential to bring great benefits for those interested or involved in youth arts.”