About ViVA

Peter Helps
Chief Executive

Peter Helps trained in hotel management at the country's oldest hotel school. After working in 4 and 5 star hotels in Toronto, Geneva and along the south coast he 'ran away to join the circus' in 1985, joining English National Opera as Theatre Manager at the London Coliseum. After moving to Glasgow to be General Manager of the Theatre Royal for Scottish Opera he joined sinfonia ViVA as its Chief Executive in 1995.

Peter is also heavily involved in the wider Arts scene in Derby including being Chairman of the Derby Arts Forum Executive and a member of the Cultural City Executive, part of the City's Local Strategic Partnership. Peter is a Board member of Cultivate, the East Midlands' audience and organisation development agency. He is currently a partner working on establishing a regional European arts agency for the East Midlands which will develop the East Midlands' arts sector presence in Europe.

He has broadcast on both BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 as well as many local radio stations.

Peter is Chairman of the Association of British Orchestras' Chamber Orchestras Managers' Group. He is also currently part of the East Midlands Capitalise programme, an Arts Council funded leadership development scheme for Chief Executives in the region.

Peter's interests in the arts are wide ranging including music, opera and theatre. Peter is an avid skier and tries to get as much time on the piste as his employer will allow!

Contact Peter

01332 207572