ACG member profiles: Mark Scrimshaw (BA History 1976)
Mark was born in Derbyshire and went to School in Nottingham.
He became the first in his family to go to university when he came to Newcastle to read History. He was active in the Students’ Union while he was here as deputy President, and also President of the Theatre Society and the Union Film Club. His career began Stage Managing and directing Bristol and Salisbury theatres before he became a freelance director for a couple of years till 1983. He then joined the BBC, where he made the documentary features with which his name is most strongly associated. While here, he became active in the BBC division of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematographic and Theatre Union or BECTU, and since 2004 has been seconded full time from the BBC to BECTU for his third career, where he has been chair of the BBC Division for several years.
He was on the Board and later Vice-Chair of Northern Arts during the exciting times from 1998-2002 which saw the development and implementation of plans for regenerating the Quayside, through the construction of the Sage, and the completion and opening of the Baltic and the Millennium Bridge.
Alongside his creative and often demanding employment, Mark has always engaged in many voluntary activities for a variety of cultural and public sector bodies in North East England – including us here in the University. Mark has served as Chair of ACG for 10 years, from which he stood down in this past summer. During this time Mark was influential, working alongside Jack Jeffery, in changing the ACG from a self-appointed to an elected body and continues to be an active supporter of the Development and Alumni Relations Office.