A NEW artistic director has been appointed at Helmsley Arts Centre.

Natasha Jones will succeed Em Whitfield Brooks from January. Natasha has been with Helmsley Arts Centre since 2009 as a youth theatre leader and from 2013 working towards her current roles as programmer and 1812 youth theatre director.

She first became involved with Helmsley Arts Centre as a member of the 1812 Youth Theatre in 2001. She is also well known locally as a singer-songwriter.

After four years as artistic director and latterly as part-time programme manager, Em left the arts centre at the end of August to pursue her freelance career as a director, choral leader, facilitator and jazz singer, with current projects in Hull and London. However, she will be back later this year to direct the 1812 Pantomime, Snow White in which Natasha will play a starring role.

Margot Cairncross, former chairman of trustees at Helmsley Arts Centre, said: "We are enormously grateful to Em for all her work over the past four years.

"She achieved a new level of bold, creative programming for the arts centre and gave the place a real buzz, as well as bringing her own special talents to projects such as our community plays, community choir and annual pantomime.

"We are thrilled that she is going to be succeeded by Natasha, who has done brilliant work with our youth theatre.

"We are very proud of Natasha's career with us to date, and delighted that she will lead the arts centre into the next generation."