Turner announces new Trustees

We're pleased to announce the appointment of five new Trustees to help shape Turner's future. 

The Board of Trustees' role is to help oversee the gallery's management and help guide our vision to ensure we continue to have a positive impact on our community. As we look towards our 15th birthday in 2026, we've appointed Trustees whose skills will help us build strong relationships, continue to deliver world-class programming, and make informed decisions that help the gallery and Margate thrive in a challenging climate.

Trustees serve on a voluntary basis, generously giving their time and expertise to help Turner Contemporary thrive.

Charlene Prempeh

Charlene Prempeh is the founder of A Vibe Called Tech, a Black-owned creative agency exploring creativity through an intersectional lens. Based in Margate, she is a central and active member of the town’s creative community, a columnist for Financial Times HTSI, covering design, travel, and culture, and serves as a Trustee of the Contemporary Art Society and a Non-Executive Director on the Tate Enterprises board.

Alessandro Raho

Alessandro Raho is an artist known for his oil paintings of portraits, still lives, and landscapes, based in St Leonards-on-Sea. His work is held in major collections including Tate and MoMA. He participated in In the Offing, a group exhibition edited by Mark Leckey at Turner Contemporary (7 October 2023–14 January 2024). His portrait of Dame Judi Dench is currently on display in the National Portrait Gallery.

Melanie Tong

Melanie Tong is a specialist art teacher at Palm Bay Primary School, passionate about arts education and community engagement. She has worked at Kettle's Yard, Chisenhale Gallery, and Wysing Arts Centre. She runs an annual art auction to fund her school's art studio and develops curriculum content for Oak National and is a contributor to the National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD).

Kathryn Ferguson

Kathryn Ferguson was born in Belfast and has lived in Margate for 10 years. She is an Emmy-nominated, BIFA and IFTA winning director whose innovative and boundary-pushing documentary work has screened globally. Kathryn studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, and in 2022 was awarded the inaugural BFI & Chanel Award for Creative Audacity. Her debut feature documentary, Nothing Compares—which takes as its subject Sinéad O'Connor's artistry and activism—premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2022 and received over thirty award nominations internationally, including Emmy, Critics Choice, IDA, and PGA Awards, and was awarded winner of Best Feature Documentary at BIFA 2022 and IFTA 2023. 

Helen Beeckmans

Helen Beeckmans is a strategic communications leader with over 30 years’ experience in the cultural sector. She began her career in the London art world in the 1990s, working in commercial galleries with both emerging and established contemporary artists. She moved into museums in 2000, leading communications for the contemporary programme at the V&A before joining Tate in 2005. During two decades at Tate, including as Director of Corporate Affairs, she shaped the communications strategy and helped build global recognition for the organisation. Her work has supported some of the most ambitious developments in the UK’s arts landscape, strengthening public engagement and deepening understanding of the role of art in society. Helen works as an independent consultant, supporting organisations and individuals across the sector to strengthen their communications and public messaging.

Additionally, longtime Trustee Yasmin Khan retired from the board this month, and Turner Contemporary expressed its deep gratitude for her years of dedicated service.