How we work

We always put the audiences and visitors of the places we work for first, in everything we do.

Really understanding our clients and the purpose of their organisations is critical, it is this which helps defines what is possible to inspire people.

We work with and build capacity in organisations to make sure what we do is sustainable. We don’t like being seen as external consultants. We are all members of a single team on the project we are working on together.

We focus on delivery and getting things done – we don’t just write dry reports that gather dust. We love research and strategic thinking informed by data – but only when it leads to action.

We create growth and drive revenues by matching what is possible with what is needed.

As a company we really do want to make a real difference to organisations: the wonderful places they care for and the communities they serve. This is genuinely what motivates us.

Who We Are

We are a group of good friends with decades of practical experience leading and operating award-winning organisations across the UK. VistaEste is led by Richard Evans and supported by a team of associates, some of whom are listed below.

We often think of ourselves as a ‘mobile development team’. Our team have a wealth of varied experience and knowledge, so depending on the project, we will create the perfect team to meet and exceed the requirements.

  • Richard Evans

    Richard is the Director of VistaEste and has more than 25 years experience leading award-winning heritage sites, museums and tourism organisations across the UK, including 20 years as Chief Executive. He is highly experienced in business planning for charities and working on complex capital projects.  He also specialises in reviewing how organisations work, helping teams turnaround performance. He has a successful track record of growing audiences and increasing turnover from commercial operations. Over his career he has secured more than £30 million of capital and revenue funding from the private and public sectors including NHLF and ACE.

  • Matthew Henderson

    Matthew has been involved in some of the tourism and cultural sector’s most exciting projects. Matthew previously held roles such as Head of Commercial Operations and Development, and Keeper of Social History at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North. Using his diverse skills and experience, Matthew now works freelance supporting many different organisations with development projects. From retail and events, to visitor experience and fundraising, Matthew is a specialist in developing visitor attractions and the businesses/charities behind them. Matthew is also a Trustee of The Association for Cultural Enterprises and has won several national awards.

  • Guy Veale

    Guy has 30 years’ experience producing, directing, production managing, designing and composing for heritage projects, outdoor events, theatre & film. Commissioned by IKEA, BBC, National Trust for Scotland, National Museum of Scotland and The Open University.
    His work explores the natural and cultural histories of protected environments, through creative interventions at major landmarks, with sound and performance sensitively reframing archive materials to create unique public experiences. He has soundtracked over 50 experimental physical theatre / dance works, including all of Al Seed Productions’ shows since 2008, and is currently working on three shows for Sadiq Ali Company, all set to debut in 2025.

  • Anya Kirkby

    Anya seamlessly blends curatorial and museum-based knowledge with practical operational skills and ‘real life’ support. Anya has a MA in Museum Studies and played a key part in the operation and development of Beamish, The Living Museum of the North. Anya now supports a wide range of organisations with their development. From mentoring volunteer led organisations on commercial development to creating retail ranges for national museums and galleries, Anya’s work is broad but consistently makes a real difference to the individuals and organisations she supports. Anya is self-taught in digital design. Her design work has ranged from billboards in city centre’s to creating thousands of retail designs for cultural venues.

  • Arantxa Garcia

    Arantxa is a fine arts graduate and one of the sector’s leading creatives. Having worked with organisations of all sizes, including the UK’s leading museums and galleries, Arantxa is a specialist in interior design and visual merchandising. Her services are consistently in demand; from shop design to ‘on the shop floor’ visual merchandising, and pretty much everything in between! Arantxa supports organisations to make commercial spaces part of the visitor experience, treating every project as a blank canvas for brand development and unrivalled creativity.

  • “Thank you SO much for everything today! The training was spot on and exactly what I was hoping for. You have given us some real food for thought!”

    Training day delivered by Matthew Henderson
    London Wildlife Trust

  • “A truly inspiring day! Thank you for all the insights, tricks and tips, and for sparking some interesting ideas I can’t wait to explore!”

    Training day delivered by Anya Kirkby and Matthew Henderson
    Chatham Historic Dock Yard

  • "I would wholeheartedly recommend Richard to lead or advise any organisation within the Visitor Economy. His leadership, strategic acumen, and industry insight are second to none.”

    Richard Evans project work
    Mark Brassell, CEO, The Alnwick Garden Trust

  • “As they step inside to discover the workmanship that has gone into the building, visitors will also be immersed in the sounds of history, thanks to an installation by Guy Veale that conjures up the sounds, speech and songs of life here in the glen 300 years ago. Developed with the involvement of historians, musicians, local Gaelic speakers and school children, the soundscape comprises over 200 different elements that were carefully chosen to give the interior an authentic and evocative atmosphere, with each representing a different local story.”

    Guy Veale project work
    National Trust for Scotland's Turf House at Glencoe

  • “Matthew is an inspiring, commercial minded professional. His knowledge on product and how he connects the unique point of sale of our museums together with a true individual product range is second to none. Matthew has the unique ability to look at any business model to find the most inspiring product range that is a true identity of the business. Matthew has been an incredible support to our upcoming product range scoping project, visual merchandising, and retail offer at Amgueddfa Cymru. Any business should be very lucky to have him on their team.”

    Matthew Henderson project work
    Catherine Pinkerton , Group Retail Manager, Amgueddfa Cymru.

  • “I truly can’t tell how you how much of a pleasure it has been working with Anya and yourself. It’s been the best working relationship I’ve had with any external contractor and I feel The Auckland Project has benefitted greatly for your involvement. You both are incredibly talented and I’m so grateful for all your support. The results in our gift shops are speaking for themselves and everyone sings yours praises at the organisation, as you’ve both helped turn it all around, and so quickly!”

    Anya Kirkby and Matthew Henderson project work, supported by Arantxa Garcia
    Chief Operating Officer, The Auckland Project

  • “Matthew came on board our £35 million project to assist with the merchandise offering. His knowledge and expertise thus far have been invaluable. Matthew’s business acumen combined with a wealth of experience gained from multiple businesses, has created an extraordinary skill set. Matthew is a talent, a leading professional in his field and is always willing to go above and beyond. Hopetown Darlington could not recommend him highly enough.”

    Matthew Henderson project work
    Natalie Collins, Visitor Experience Manager, Hopetown Darlington

  • “Yesterday was fantastic, we earned such useful knowledge – thank you!”

    Training day delivered by Matthew Henderson
    The Postal Museum

  • “The soundscape is great – another wonderful creation by Guy Veale, who has worked with Al Seed for many years, and whose trademark wall-of-sound design is a strong feature of shows such as [The Red Room] and OOG.”

    Guy Veale project work
    Al Seed Productions The Spinners

  • "Richard demonstrated unparalleled expertise in designing world-class visitor experiences and maximising revenue streams. His ability to balance creative vision with practical, effective solutions has been a cornerstone of his work. Every piece of advice he provided was thoughtful, actionable, and delivered with a clear understanding of our sector's needs and opportunities."

    Richard Evans project work
    Mark Brassell, CEO, The Alnwick Garden Trust

  • “This was such a great training day; I’ve taken away lots of practical tips which I know will help with product development going forward. I’m also feeling inspired after seeing some of the projects you’ve delivered, lots of ideas to explore!

    Training day delivered by Anya Kirkby and Matthew Henderson
    National Trust for Scotland

  • “Ùrlar was quite magical. A variety of different theatrical styles and moments to connect us to the landscape in ways we might not have. Beautiful, imaginative, sensitive, generous, engaging, enlightening. Small details in the production - like using a bell instead of a walkie-talkie so there was no digital interruption, or the attention to humour and language, really enhanced the whole experience. I also brought two not-easy-to-impress teenagers who got a huge amount from it.
 The piper bit was gobsmackingly spectacular.”

    Guy Veale project work
    National Trust for Scotland's Ùrlar

Contact us

Whether you’ve got a potential project or just have a query, please do get in contact using the form and we’ll be in touch shortly.