Growing up as a child I always loved anything to do with creativity. I especially loved to create music and play the piano. Perhaps a sign of things to come, I was obsessed with my first two toys: a little wind up TV (which played music and showed a picture) and a tiny red piano. It was of no surprise that as I grew up, so did my love for the arts. When I left school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in performance arts.
1997
In 1997, I studied a HND Musical Theatre course at the Newcastle School of Performing Arts. Keen to follow my creative interests, I enrolled at the University of Sunderland in 1999 and completed a BA (Hon) in Performance Arts.
2002
Newly graduated, I returned to Bristol to begin my first job as a Drama Development Officer for Kuumba. Tasked with delivering a Performance Arts programme for the community, I produced and directed a range of performances, and facilitated weekly workshops. Within the role, I set up a youth theatre company called Creative Riddims. We had a lot of success with the company and we even toured to the New Olympus theatre in Gloucester.
2003
In 2003 I travelled to Malaysia with a small group chosen by the British Council. Together we used theatre to research and generate a discussion with the Malaysian youth, and to present our findings to the British Council. In collaboration with a Malaysian Theatre Company, we devised and performed a play about culture and identity which was followed by interactive workshops to discuss the subject with our participants. We toured our show, travelling from the very top of Malaysia across a number of states in the country.
When I returned to England, I continued my artistic journey working with a number of organisations on a freelance basis.
2004
In 2004 I began work with Circomedia in Bristol as the Artistic Director for Project Go. I also tutored the voice and speech class on the BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts.
2005
Ready for a new environment, I moved to Swindon and became an Artist in Residence for Perform – a Neighbourhood Renewal Project. Alongside writing, directing and performing, I ran weekly performing arts workshops for all age groups; helping to influence change in a troubled area.
2007
After two years, I returned to Bristol in 2007 to begin working for the Kingswood Foundation, a youth arts organisation (now known as the Creative Youth Network). As Projects Director, I managed the various performing arts projects working with schools, the voluntary sector, local authorities, and various other community groups.
2009
After my time at the Kingswood Foundation, I transitioned to Acta: a community theatre organisation in Bristol. In my role as Theatre Director, I co-directed a black elders group. For six years, I helped to create several successful plays which toured to schools and local venues. We even performed internationally, taking our production to the Innovative Community Arts Festival in Rotterdam (ICAF).
2015
In 2015 I became a Trustee for Strike A Light, a charity in Gloucester which produces a diverse range of events to reflect and inspire the local community. After two years of supporting the organisation as a trustee, my role shifted and I became a Community Producer in 2018. In this new position, I helped to engage the black community and very successfully promoted productions to larger audiences. Many of the performances that I promoted sold out, and we were pleased to see growing numbers of black attendees. This also gave me opportunity to put together and lead a co-creating change group, members of the community who wanted to work together, using arts to create a more vibrant cultural offering in the city.
2016
In 2016 I began work at Gloucester College. Still working in Bristol, I spent some time travelling back and forth in between the two cities. At Gloucester College, I taught Music, and Drama evening classes to students with disabilities.
2017
I continued to develop my freelance career and I founded Voice Academy Gloucester; a voice coaching company open to all ages and abilities, often supporting those who struggle with vocal confidence. Providing formal training, including exams for those who would like to go down that route and a more relaxed form of coaching for those who want to develop their voice for sheer pleasure. If you would like to learn more about Voice Academy Gloucester, please visit here.
Now
I feel so privileged to have had all these experiences during my career so far and now more than ever I would like to help other artists and entrepreneurs use the gifts that they have to their fullest potential as I continue to do the same. This is where the three C’s were born. Creativity, Coaching and Consultancy.
Creativity – Working creatively doing the things I love to do.
Coaching – Coaching other artists and entrepreneurs who want to make a living from what they love to do.
Consultancy – Supporting organisations who would like guidance and support to work in the areas that I work in.
Go to Services to see how I can be of help.