Development & Advocacy Committee
Fabia Stocken
Development & Advocacy Committee
Fabia is a philanthropy and cultural partnerships adviser with more than 20 years' experience at Bloomberg, where she led the arts programme across Europe. She helped shape major international initiatives including Bloomberg Connects and the Bloomberg Digital Accelerator Programme. Now working independently, Fabia advises cultural organisations, businesses and private individuals on fundraising, strategic partnerships and philanthropy, helping to strengthen long-term relationships, develop impactful giving strategies and increase support for the arts.
Sophie Hussey
Trustee, Development & Advocacy Committee
Sophie is a Development Consultant working with the Women’s Prize Trust (the charity behind the Women’s Prizes for Fiction and Non-Fiction), the Royal College of Art and SportsAid. She specialises in philanthropy, supporting emerging artists to build sustainable creative careers. Her previous roles include the Royal Court Theatre, Bush Theatre, Royal College of Music, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, the Courtauld Institute of Art and the Architectural Association. In 2024, she completed an MA in Philanthropic Studies at the University of Kent.
Kate Rosser-Frost
Trustee, Development & Advocacy Committee
Kate has over 20 years' experience across the visual arts, cultural education and heritage sectors, specialising in stakeholder engagement, partnerships and communications. She leads DACS' communications and engagement strategy, overseeing media, marketing, digital and public affairs, including the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Visual Arts & Artists and major research into artists' earnings. A Trustee of Outside In, Kate champions greater equity and sustainability for artists. Her previous roles include the British Academy, London Museum, MOLA and PR agencies in London and Shanghai.
Laura O’Hare
Development & Advocacy Committee
Laura is responsible for leading the artistic and business development at VAA. Laura has been working in the Fine Arts sector since 2012 and is a founder of the VAA. Presently, Director of the Visual Art Open Prize, the Artist of the Year Award and the VAA Art100 International Award. Laura has a wealth of experience in managing relationships with artists and understanding their needs. Laura has an extensive network including arts organisations, galleries, publishers and commercial partners. Laura has helped hundreds of artists figure out how to thrive at all stages of their fine art careers.
Lydia R. Figes
Development & Advocacy Committee
Lydia R. Figes is a London-based writer, editor and curator. She began her career in commercial galleries before moving into the public arts sector with Art UK and the Contemporary Art Society. Her writing and interviews have appeared in leading publications including The Guardian, ArtReview, Apollo, Dazed and Elephant. In 2025, Thames & Hudson published her first book, Survival Notes: Life Lessons from Contemporary Artists. She studied at UCL, the Courtauld and the University of Cambridge.