Roanne passed away following a period living with cancer. She was courageous, graceful and selfless throughout; all characteristics which defined the way she lived and which inspired so many others to try that little bit harder to live as she did.
Under the leadership of Jerwood Foundation’s Chairman Alan Grieve, Roanne helped establish and became the first Director of Jerwood Charitable Foundation in 1999, a role she fulfilled in her charismatic way for a decade. In that time, Roanne seeded ambition and enabled transformation in so many people and practices across the arts nationally; always curious, always questioning and always there for so many.
During her tenure, Jerwood Charitable Foundation distributed over £14m towards strategic initiatives, and Roanne was integral to founding a huge range of artist development projects including Serious Music’s Take Five; Dance East’s Rural Retreats programme, our own Jerwood Visual Arts programme and the Jerwood Studio at Sadler’s Wells, to name just a few. We will miss her hugely, and her way of being, her energy and her values will continue to permeate all that we do.
We stand beside the many of you who had the privilege of knowing Roanne, in your loss. We are proud to celebrate all that Roanne achieved, and her extraordinary influence, which will not fade.
Shonagh Manson, Director and Tim Eyles, Chairman, Jerwood Charitable Foundation
