Meet the new Creative Medway board

Blog

Following elections over the Summer, Creative Medway is proud to announce its new board who will lead the organisation and who will join the Creative Medway Compact alongside our ongoing Sector Reps and Community Champions, who include:

• Medway Council Public Sector Rep – Cllr Harinder Mahil

• Further and Higher Education Sector Rep – Catherine Richardson

• School Aged Education Sector Rep – Nancy Hirst

• Health and Wellbeing Sector Rep – Kelly Webb

• Business Sector Rep – Gian Chahal

• Voluntary Sector Rep – Vacant

• Diverse Communities Champion – Beth James (interim)

• Young People Champion – Vacant

You can find out more about the Compact and what it does here – https://creativemedway.co.uk/who-are-we/

Let’s find out more about the new electees!

About Carol:

I have lived in Medway for the past 23 years, and am a registered social worker. I have been Chair of Medway African and Caribbean Association (MACA), as well as a board member for over 10 years.

I am a single parent to a 34 year old and I had a daughter who sadly died aged 18 in 2015.

From an early age I developed a passion for community and voluntary work and am a campaigner on diversity. I am a person with a great zest for life, despite the challenges I have faced.  I love history, arts, music, cooking, singing and dancing!

About David:

I have been the Chief Executive of The Halpern Charitable Foundation since 2019. The multi-award-winning charity focuses on tackling mental health and social isolation through the arts, and also runs the well-known Nucleus Arts centres across Medway, supporting locally-based artists and increasing opportunities for creative business.

I am involved in a huge range of local initiatives, including as Deputy-Chair of the Love Chatham initiative, lead-member for the Love Chatham festival, and am a founder of the Waghorn Sez arts challenge. I am a representative on a multitude of projects, such as the Social Isolation Forum, the Innovation Board, Medway for Business, Medway CAN, Medway VCS Leaders Group, VSC Transformation Academy, Medway and Swale Social Prescribing Board, Medway and Swale Health and Care Partnership (HACP) and the HaCP Digital and BI Board. I am Vice-Chair of Chatham Town Forum and a Director of Medway Pride Radio.

About Janet:

I’m originally from Canada and delighted that Medway is my adopted home. I’m an opera singer and violin player that swapped the stage to pursue my passion for using the arts to make lasting social change. I’ve worked across art forms, in small grassroots companies to national scale organisations, and have consulted across the UK and Latin America.

I’m currently the CEO of Live Music Now, a national music and social impact charity, and also work with the next generation of international change makers as part of the faculty of the Global Leaders Institute Arts MBA.

About Jatin:

I am a proud second-generation British man of Indian heritage, bringing my unique perspective through my lived experiences of the juxtapositions of diverse cultures and communities. I am an ambitious creative entrepreneur, adaptable to change, can confidently lead whilst a key team player. I have lived, studied and worked in Medway for 25 years, and have been involved in its “cultural renaissance” – through HSHAZ and as Chair of Ideas Test.

I’m Creative Director at KALIKAS ARMOUR a slow fashion brand and creative consultancy offering direct to client bespoke made to measure commissions with collaborations and unique projects with charities and social organisations utilising creativity, culture and artistic expression to open dialogue for impactful change.

About Jon:

I am a driven and passionate cultural leader, motivated by the belief that the collaboration between extraordinary artists and diverse, underserved communities can create impactful, ambitious place-based cultural programmes.

I have delivered extraordinary projects for the UK’s most significant cultural events from the London 2012 Festival, LIFT, 14-18 NOW, Coventry UK City of Culture and UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, raising my ambitions for new forms of cultural partnerships which can deliver real social change.  In April 2023 I became the Director of Cement Fields, working to create new art along the Thames Estuary in North Kent.

About Tracy and Byrony:

As joint Vice Chair of Spaces and Places, our aim is to inspire pride and joy, particularly with underrepresented communities, across Medway and Swale. We do this through creative and collaborative activities, helping people better about themselves and where they live.

Tracy Brunt:

I am the Director of Ideas Test. I studied fine art but have mainly worked in performance and events, in London and Kent for the last 35 years. I am an experienced producer, communicator and fundraiser working with touring companies, venues and local authorities, including KCC, Half Moon Theatre, Graeae, Oily Cart and the Albany in Deptford.

About Bryony:

I am Youth Development Manager at Ideas Test, I work with 14-25 year olds across Medway and Swale to create a programme by young people, for young people. I have produced participatory projects across art forms for over a decade, and am passionate about working collaboratively with communities and young people to design projects. Previously I worked for a diverse range of organisations across London & the South East such as Attic Theatre Company, Photoworks, East London Dance, Children & the Arts, The Wellcome Collection, Turner Contemporary, The Barbican, and Fine Cell Work.

Please join us in welcoming all new electees onboard!