The PoLICY ADVISORY BOARD
Young people are living with the consequences of decisions they rarely get to shape. The Policy Advisory Board brings together senior voices from across the arts, culture, academia, government, philanthropy and civil society to help change that. Members lend their expertise, networks and influence to In Place of War's youth policy work, building meaningful and lasting routes for young artists and activists into the rooms where decisions are made, on everything from climate and resilience to culture and democratic participation. This is not about one-off consultations or a single showcase moment. It is about connecting grassroots creativity with institutions, moving beyond tokenism, and backing young people with real agency and resources for the long term.
PROFESSOR James Thompson
James Thompson is Professor of Applied Theatre at the University of Manchester and co-Director of The Care Lab. He was one of the founders of the TiPP Centre and founder of In Place of War. As an arts practitioner he has worked in international war zones and places of humanitarian disaster. He has written widely on the socially engaged arts and now researches care aesthetics – exploring ‘artful care’ in different areas of health and social care. He is editor of the Routledge Studies in Care Aesthetics series, is one of the editors of ‘Care Aesthetics and the Arts (2025) and ‘Care Aesthetics and Dementia Studies (2026). His book Care Aesthetics: for Artful Care and Careful Art was published in 2022.
Professor Dr Anne Bamford
An educational futurist and passionate arts educator, Professor Dr Anne Bamford OBE, FCGI is Director of the International Research Agency, President of the Education Inspiring Peace Laboratory and Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney. She was the former Strategic Education, Skills and Culture Director for the City of London. Anne has been recognised nationally and internationally for her research in the arts education, culture and fusion skills. She is an expert in the international dimension of education and skills and talent development and through her research, she has pursued issues of creativity, technology, innovation, social impact, wellbeing and inclusion.
George Adelman
George is Director and Head of Partnerships at FT Strategies and has over 15 years experience in strategy consulting and in-house advisory. Leading strategy development, service design and digital transformation teams, he has advised senior leadership across media industry, public sector and the financial services.
