Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, has appointed David Baker as its new Head of Development.
David will be leading the Love Lighthouse campaign and establishing a fundraising platform that will enable Lighthouse to develop and extend its position as the south west’s leading arts provider.
“I’m joining Lighthouse at a very exciting time in its continuing development,” says David. “To have the UK’s largest arts venue outside of London right in the heart of Poole is something we should all be proud of, but for Lighthouse to continue to bring the very best the arts can offer to Poole we have to think about creative ways to fund that.”
David began his career in fundraising some 18 years ago at Poole Hospital where he helped set up the £1.3 million Ladybird Appeal. He has since held several senior posts in the national and international charity sector, including Chief Executive of KidsOut where he reversed years of deficits with a 72% increase in income in his first year. Dave also spent a year in New Zealand where he re-established the fundraising function for Wellington Free Ambulance, one of the country’s two ambulance services, delivering the highest fundraising total in its history. Most recently he has been working as a freelance strategy consultant.
Having grown up in Lytchett Matravers, David has a long standing family connection with the Poole area.
“Just like many of our audiences, I grew up with Lighthouse – it’s where I went to the cinema as a boy, where I saw my first band, there is a strong emotional attachment. Lighthouse really puts Poole on the map and for nearly 40 years it has not only been home to a world class symphony orchestra, but has improved access to the highest quality arts for its audiences, particularly over the last few years.
“In the current climate of funding cuts it is no small achievement that Lighthouse meets 75% of its running costs by commercial activity and I’m looking forward to playing a part in its future development by leading the Love Lighthouse campaign and building awareness of its place in the community, both locally and nationally.”
