About Us

Patrons: David Tate OBE and Mrs Jenny Tate 

The members of Crowborough Arts’ Steering Group and Project Leaders are listed below.  Please refer to our contact page if you would like to get in touch. 

Steering Group​
Angela Vernon Bates
Co-Chair / Music & Visual Arts
Angela has been professionally involved in the arts all her life, both as an opera singer and artist.  She brings her inside knowledge and practical skills to the organisation of special events and her optimism and enthusiasm to the Steering Group.
Gaye Jee
Co-Chair/Literary Events Group/Publicity and Newsletter Design/ Website 
Gaye's background is in both commercial and fictional writing, and she has taught on the University of Kent’s creative writing programme. Currently she works at Penshurst Place as a tour guide and Visitor Coordinator and also acts and writes for The Company Upfront, a Murder Mystery company.
​Ivor Quinn
Hon. Treasurer
Ivor is now retired after a career in local government.  Ivor has always been interested in the arts and you will often find him behind the bar at Crowborough Arts events.
Christine Roberts
Secretary / Literary Events Group
Christine has a background in teaching all aspects of English and Education in post-sixteen and higher education. She is an avid reader and enjoys writing poetry. She also works with textiles and particularly enjoys hand embroidery. 
Laura Appleby
Laura has a background of treading the boards and directing plays both whilst at Uni and shortly after - some while ago now! She is a great lover of music, poetry and the performing arts especially, and appeared in "A Sussex Salmagundi " (2019). More recently, in "Intarsia Poetry" and as a Martlets choir member in "A concert for Rotherfield" - September 2021 and January 2022 respectively. She frequently writes prose and  poetry - regularly contributing to the Crowborough Arts Poetry group. She also greatly appreciates the visual Arts. She hopes to bring enthusiasm, practicality, and creative suggestions to the steering group, and feels honoured to have been asked to join it.