Coker, Christina OBE
- Christina Coker OBE was appointed the National Foundation for Youth Music’s first Chief Executive in April 1999. Youth Music works alongside the formal and community-based sectors to support music-making and training and working strategically to bring together partnership organisations from across the music, education and social sectors.
Before this Christina was co-founder and Director of Hackney Music Development Trust and has spent all of her professional working life involved in music, the arts more widely and in education. From her first job as a teacher of music and French in a Kent Secondary school, she extended her experience of education internationally whilst working at the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges. Subsequently she moved into public policy, strategy and administration. Extensive local government experience included senior posts within the Greater London Council, Inner London Education Authority, and Hackney Council (Education and Leisure Directorates).
Christina’s voluntary sector experience has included developing school and community arts projects, as Head of Outreach for the Roundhouse Arts Centre and subsequently, creating, leading and managing all aspects of the work of the Hackney Music Development Trust. Board Directorships have included ‘Shape’ (Arts/Disability Campaigner) and Pan Project (Inter-Cultural Arts Developer) and she has served on various education/arts advisory groups. Current commitments include membership of the Board of Birmingham Symphony Halls, various governmental steering groups and advisory bodies relating to arts and education policy and practice.
Christina was awarded an OBE for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2005.
